Pain in the Past
by sldlovespandf15
Summary: A figure from Sweets' past returns. Will he let the team help? What will he do? The story will be better than the summary. R&R!
1. Chapter 1

Despite the fact that Sweets saw this coming, he was still scaried. He had just gotten a call, a call he knew was coming. His foster father had been sent to jail with a twenty sentence, it wouldn't have been as high as it was but his testimony had definity added a few more years to that sentence. He later found out his sentence had been extended when he had attacked a guard and bit off part of his ear.

He had just gotten a phone call, telling him that his foster father had been released from prison. He felt his blood run cold. His hands were shaking and the scars on his back were burning, knowing that their maker was free. He felt like he was on a verge of a panic attack.

"Hey, Sweets, come on it's lunch time- Hey what's wrong, man?" Sweets heard Booth's vioce and snapped his head up to look at the agent.

"What? Oh- um, I'm fine, just got... a phone call." Sweets shook his head and started towards Booth. "Lets go, Brennan will be waiting.

"Wait a minute, kid, that must have been one hell of a phone call. What was it about?"

"Not important, lets go." Sweets said, slidding past Booth.

Needless to say, it wasn't dropped. Booth pestered him all the way down the hall to the elevator, in the elevator, in to the parking lot. At least he got some peace in his car, it didn't last. It started up again as soon as he stepped foot in the diner.

"What are you two argueing about?" Brennan asked, looking between the two men.

"Nothing-"

"Sweets is hiding something." Booth said, giving Sweets a healthy glare.

"I'm fine."

"You do not look fine. " Brennan looked at Sweets, skillful eyes scanning his obviously shaken form.

"If I tell you two, will you drop it?" Sweets groaned, sitting down, the couple nodded, sitting down as well. "Look... It's just that- I, um... My foster fathers parol officer called... to tell me that he had been released from prison." Sweets mumbled, his eyes drilling holes into the table.

"The one that beat you?" Brennan asked, not sensing Sweets discomfort.

"Yes." Sweets hissed, feeling his scars burn again.

"Why didn't you just tell me?" Booth asked, looking a little hurt.

"Because it's not important!" Sweets groaned, tipping his head back. "I thought we were doing to drop it?"

"Sweets if you want me to call up Caroline to get you a restraining order or something..." Booth said carefully, sensing his irritation.

"Booth, trust me, if that man wants to come back and get me or harm me in anyway, a restrianing order won't stop him." Sweets rolled his eyes. "Plus, the man was a coward, who beat his foster child because he was angry with his life and job and was too much of a coward to deal with his own bullies, like his, as he put it 'asshat boss'." Sweets said, making fake air quotes with his fingers. "He won't DO anything."

"If you say so..."

"I do. I do say so."

##################################################################################

"Hello?" Sweets picked up his phone, glancing at Booth before turning away. He confused, he hadn't been called by his foster father's parol officer since they had told him that he had been released. and that was WEEKS ago.

_"Yes, hello, Mr. Sweets?" _

"It's Dr. Sweets, why are you calling?"

_"I am calling to inform you that Tim has skipped town." _

"H-... He what?"

_"He has skipped town, I wanted to let you know because he-"_

Sweets dropped the phone on the ground, eyes wide. He swears his heart stopped beating for a minute. His foster father was not just now, his parol officer had lost him. He was free to come and hunt him down.

"Sweets, what's wrong? What happened?" Booth asked, looking at Sweets. All the color had drained from Sweets face and he looked like he was going to fall over.

"He's free. My- my foster father is free." Sweets said in a whisper.

"Sweets, he's been out of jail for-"

"NO. His parol officer just called to tell me that he had skipped town." Sweets looked at him with wide eyes. "He's FREE."

"Oh... OH." Booth eyes widened as well. "Well... you said he's a coward, right. He won't do anything."

"I hope so..." Sweets said, picking his phone up aand hanging it up.

"It'll be alright, Sweets."

"Maybe..."

##################################################################################

Sweets walked into his apartment, shrugging off his jacket before stretching and laying down on couch. The case today had been rutine, so he wasn't very tired. He looked at his collection of movies and picked a random one up and poping one in.

I had been two weeks since the parol officer called and it has been making him paraniod. Everytime a niose came from an alley he jumped two feet in the air and shrieked like a school girl. He really needed to get a grip. His phone started to ring and he jumped before shaking his head and picking up the phone.

"This is Lance, to whom am I speaking?"

Sweets blood froze and his heart stopped in his chest.

"What the hell do you want?" He hissed harshly into the phone, venom dripping from his vioce.

_"Don't you take tone with me you little fucker! Do you know what they do to child abusers in prison? I was a frequent flier at the prison infirmery. That was because of you, you fucking tattle tale! Your fucking pathetic, and don't think just because you're a big, bad psychologist with the FBI that means I'm not going hunt you down and beat your sorry ass. Thats right, I know where you work. The internet is an amazing thing. A genius? Your supposed to be a genius? I guess they don't what a rotten little snot you are! Your a psychologist, huh, is that because of me? I will find you, see you soon, _LANCE._"_

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

** I know this is really REALLY over done but... I couldn't resist! Sorry -u-" **

** R&R my darlings!**


	2. Chapter 2

Sweets dropped the phone as the dailtone rang out. He was frozen. He couldn't MOVE. Was he breathing? He couldn't tell if he was breathing.

_He is coming after you._

Sweets stumbled back at the thought. His foster father was not alone free but he knew where he worked, what he did. What the hell should he do? He chest constricted as Lance started to hyperventalate, well at least he is breathing now. He fumbled with his phone, trying to pick it up. He needed Booth. _NO._ He couldn't get Booth involved. He was a man, he could handle it himself, right? Plus he couldn't risk Booth or the others getting hurt. He would deal with this.

He shook his head and rushed off to bed, if he could manage to sleep at all. He layed down and after a generious amount of tossing and turning, he finally drifted sleep.

_In Sweets' Dream:_

_**SNAP**_

_ "I-I'm s-s-s-sorry!" A five yearold Lance sniffled and cried as the whip made contact with his soft, sensitive skin, splitting it slightly. His shoulder blades were searing with pain and he felt blood trickle down his bear back. "Please, s-s-stop!"_

_ "Shut up, you sniveling bastard!" __**SNAP!**_

_ "I'm s-soooorrrryyy!" Lance let out a drawn cry, tears rolling down his cheeks. _

_ "SHUT UP!" Tim bellowed, turning Lance over and backhanding him hard against the face and shoving him. "Get up!" He hissed and Lance tried to comply, but he ended falling down. "Your pathetic!" He yelled, gabbing his arm harshly and yanking him up from the ground before dragging him, promting a cry from the young child. "Shut up!" Tim threw Lance into a closet, locking him inside. "You sit in there and think about you did!"_

_ Lance curled up, tears running down his face as he curled up into ball, sobbing. The tears running freely down his face like the blood from cuts on his back_

Sweets woke with a gasp, rolling over. The sheets were soaked with sweat, his scars were burning, and his breathing was rough and uneven. He rubbed his face with both hands and groaned.

Nope, he was not going to sleep tonight.

#################################################################################

Sweets sluggishy poured a cup of coffee with yawn. He had decided to go to work early and get some work done to distract himself from the situation with Tim. It was not working very well.

"Hey, Sweets, your here early!" Booth's vioce sounded and Sweets damn near jumped out of his skin. "Woah, Sweets, what the hell! Whats got you all jumpy?"

"Um, uh, nothing." Sweets cleared his throat and put on his best facial mask. A grin plastered on his face even though all he wanted to do was scream and cry. He shrugged a shoulder, trying to be casual. "I'm just a little tired is all."

"Tired, I'm not buying it, Sweets, if something is wrong you can tell me." Booth said, blocking Sweets exit. Damn.

_Here's your chance, genius, tell him!_

Sweets shook his head in attempt to shake the little vioce he assumed was his conscience from his head.

"I'm fine, really, just didn't get much sleep last night." Sweets tried and failed to slide past Booth.

"Is it... about your foster father?" Booth asked carefully, watching Sweets face carefully. He knew that it had had bothering the psychologist, it would certianly bother him if he was in that position.

"No." Sweets said sternly, his face hardening into a stoic FBI guy face. That gave Booth his answer. Booth had hit the nail on the head, but Sweets clearly wasn't going to talk about it.

"Fine." Booth matched his look and stepped aside. The two stared at each other for a good minute before Sweets slid past Booth.

"I'll see you later, _Agent_ Booth."

"Okay then, _Dr._ Sweets."

##################################################################################

Sweets layed sprawled out on his couch, staring at the ceiling, deep in thought, his work long since done. He had a lot on his mind. His foster father was on the lamb and he had had a fight with Booth. Was it a fight? Not really, it was more of a... tempered conversation, yeah, that was it. A tempered conversation. That was his story and he was sticking to it.

But he had bigger a problem, the one involving his foster father. What was he going to do? Call the police? If his parol officer couldn't find the bastard then good would that do? Plus, if he was completely honest he was too afraid to go to the police. No, he would have to deal with this himself. There was just the question of how the hell he was going to do that.

He shook his head with a groan before standing up and stretching. He should get home, it was getting late. He jabbed his hands in his pockets as he flee the building. He didn't really desire to go home to more nightmares. Founding Fathers was just a short walk away.

Founding Fathers it was!

He swiftly walked, hands still planted firmly in his pockets, wanting to get there as fast as possible. Suddenly he was yanked into an alley and a large hand was clamped over his mouth when he tried to scream.

"Hello, _Lance._" A venomious voice hissed in his ear in his ear and his blood ran cold. It was him. "Let me show you what I learned in prison."

##################################################################################

"Be prepaaarreeeddd!" Christine half squealed half singed at the top of lungs, singing along with the cartoon lion on the TV. "Yes, our teeff and imbisstions are bared! Be Preppppaaarreeddd!"

Booth laughed as he watched his little girl sing along with the movie. There might be a lot of kids movies made resently, but nothing beat kids movies before the 2000's rolled along. He looked over to Bones and rapped an arm around her before kissing the top of her head. Bones retalated by kissing him lightly on the lips with a smiled and laugh over her own. His happy fog was broken through by the sound of his cell phone crying out for his attention. He quickly left the living and picked up his cell phone.

"Booth... yes, this is him... Yeah... wait, whoah, slow down." Booth put a finger to his ear to hear the man on the phone better. "What happened to Sweets?"

**Author's note:**

** Dun Dun Dunnnnnn!**

** What EXACTLY happened to Sweets? Just how bad was he hurt? Well I'm not telling you, so you'll have to wait for the next chapter :P**

** Review, my baby ducks! :3**


	3. Chapter 3

"Booth? Booth what's wrong?" Brennan asked, walking up to him as he walked into the room. Booth was clearly distressed by something, what that was, she did not know.

"I- I don't know. Something happened to Sweets, he's in surgery now, they don't know what happened." Booth ran a hand over his face.

"Somet'ing is wrong with Uncle Sweets?" Christine asked, looking up at her father with big, sad eyes.

"Yeah, baby, he is hurt but we are going to go to the hospital to see what's wrong." Booth gently picked up his little girl before looking to Brennan. "Call the others."

"Okay." Brennan nodded, quickly whipping out her phone as they rushed towards the car. They made their way to the hospital quickly, Booth driving like a bat out of hell. Set on fire. He ran two stop signs. Brennan called the others, who were properly distressed and promised to rush over. Eventually, they made to the hospital and were directed to the waiting room. Things were extremely silent. The silence permated everything, it was the kind of silence that crept into your soul and made your chest cold.

"Daddy..." Booth heard his daughter's tearful voice break the earth shattering quiet. He looked over and saw Christine looking at him with tears welling in her big round orbs. "Is Uncle Sweets gonna be okay?"

"Oh... Sweetie, I'm sure he'll be fine." He rapped a strong arm around his daughter. "Uncle Sweets is tough."

"You can't know that." It was Brennan's voice now. He looked over and saw she was making the face she makes when she is becoming emotional. He sighed and lifted Christine into his lap and motioned Bones to sit by him. She moved and he rapped an arm around her. He whispered reassuances to his two favorite people, holding them in his arms.

"Have you heard anything yet?" Angela asked as she walked in with Jack and Michael Vincent. Michael Vincent was being carried carefully in his fathers arms.

"No." Brennan shook her head.

"What happened?" Angela asked, sitting down and rubbing the tears from her eyes. Hodgins sat beside her and put a hand on her knee.

"They don't really know, he was found in an alley or something. He is in surgery now, that all WE really know."

"Oh God." Angela said, leaning her head into Hodgins shoulder. "He is too young for this."

"Ange, he's almost thirty." Hodgins gently rubbed her shoudler.

"Well he still looks like a teenager. He's not allowed to die intill he is like eighty and his hair is gray or gone." Angela said into his shoudler.

"Okay, Okay then." Hodgins nodded and kissed the top of her things.

"The things we put up with." Booth smiled at Hodgins and Hodgins snickered.

"Booth."

"Jack."

"Sorry." They said simutaniously.

"No new yet?" Cam asked as she walked in.

"'fraid not, Camile." Booth gave a one shoulder shrug.

"I could get into the surgery, I am a doctor..."

"No, no Camile, you don't have to do that, just sit down."

"Fine, Seely, but I'm consulting after he's out of surgery."

"Have it your way."

"You know I will."

#################################################################################

"Lance Sweets? Anyone here for Lance Sweets?"

"I'm here! We're here." Booth said, waving at the surgeon.

"Is Sweets okay?" Angela asked the doctor as he approached.

"He's slive but um, I'm sorry, I need to talk to a Seely Booth?" The doctor looked about the group.

"Thats me." Booth said, sitting Christine on Brennan's lap before kissing her forehead and standing up.

"I need to talk to you alone. Nothing against the rest of you, but it's a legal matter and Mr. Booth is Lance's emergency contact person... you understand." The doctor led Booth away from the group.

"Legal matter? What the hell is going on, Doc?" Booth asked, worry flaring up inside his chest.

"I'll get to that. Your friend is fine. He was beaten pretty badly, we had to replace two of his ribs and he had some internal bleeding. He has some broken bones and some nasty bruises. He has fallen into a coma but he has great brainfunction so he should wake up in a day or two and as long there aren't any complications he should eventually make a full recovery. But um, that brings us to reason YOUR here, someone... his attacker, he sodamized your friend with a blunt object, an old pipe from the alley he was found in, maybe? We wanted to know if you knew anyone who would want to do this to your friend?"

"Wait, wait. Sweets... he was raped... with an old pipe?" Booth said slowly, trying to digest all the information.

"Maybe, do you know anyone-"

"No, I don't know who would do this to Sweets." Booth rubbed his face with both hands.

"Well then we better hope he wakes up soon. He has a small window of time to report it if wants any kind of case." The doctor nodded. "He is in room eleven of the ICU."

"Oh my God." Booth rubbed his face again and walked off back towards the group.

"How is he?" Brennan asked, bouncing her distraught child.

"He's... he's in rough shape and will be in a coma for a day or two, but they think he'll make a full recovery." Booth gruffly. "He's in room eleven of the ICU."

"Thank God." Angela breathed out, giving Hodgins a hug.

"Can I see Uncle Sweets?" Christine asked, whipping the tears from her eyes.

"Baby... I don't think thats a good idea... he is really hurt." He cooed, picking her up.

"Please, Daddy." She placed her head on his chest and looked up at him with big, sad 'please let me, daddy' eyes.

"Okay... just for a second, baby girl, then you gotta go home and go to bed." Booth caved in.

"Thank you, Daddy."

"She has got him wrapped around her little finger." Cam laughed as the group funneled out of the room and towards the ICU. They all looked into the room through the clear door and sucked in a deep breath. There were tubes, machines, and wires everywhere. Sweets looked so small in his bed, if they didn't know better, they wouldn't even by able tell it was Sweets. His face was so bruised and beaten, his left eye socket was broken and he had matching black eyes. His nose was broken and from the looks of it, his right hand was broken, so he got at least one good punch in.

"Uncle Sweets." Christine whined, skirming from her father's grasp and going into the room, Booth close behind her, fretting. Christine drug a chair closer to the bed and climbed up on it and leaned over, exposing her winnie the pooh pull ups, and gave Sweets a soft hug. "You get better, Uncle Sweets, love you." Christine kissed Sweets' swollen cheek and looked back to her father. "I ready to go now."

"Okay, Christine, Mommy will take you home. Daddy is going to stay here with Sweets."

"It's late, we should get going." Hodgins looked down at his own child. "Do you wanna say goodnight to Sweets?"

"Yes, Daddy." Michael Vincent said and Jack sat him down on Sweets bed. Michael Vincent kiss Sweets' other cheek. "Good night, Uncle Sweets. Feel better."

"Jack, I'm staying here." Angela said softly but sternly.

"I figured as much." Jack smiled. Soon everyone but Angela and Booth were gone.

#################################################################################

Sweets' head hurt, hell his whole body hurt. He wanted to open his eyes, but they were so heavy. He tried to take a breath but he couldn't, there was something in his mouth, in his throat, what the hell?

_"Doctor Sweets, stay calm so we can take the tube out." _

_ "Is he waking up?"_

_ "Sweets!" _

Suddenly the evil tube was gone and he could breath again. He felt a hand grab his and he opened his eyes slowly. He looked at his suroundings and remember what happened. He wanted to cry, but he realized Booth was there. He suddenly noticed that he was drapped in a blanket with yellow duckies all over it and there was ballons and children drawings all over the room along with cards and flowers. Angela must have been here.

He was alive, thought for sure Tim had killed him. Now the tears had came. Booth was talking, but he didn't here the words.

"I'm alive..." Sweets sobbed out horsely. "I'm alive."

**Author's note:**

** WHOOPS, I think I broke Sweets. Don't worry, I'll fix him. eventually. BWHAHAHAHAAAAA!**

** Review, my duckies!**


	4. Chapter 4

"Sweets?" Booth asked, gently putting a hand on the battered man's shoulder. "Sweets!"

"I thought he killed me..." Sweets cried horsely before looking up at Booth. "I'm alive... he didn't kill me."

"You gotta calm down, Sweets." Booth said, trying so sooth the man. "Do you want some water?"

"Please..." He whispered horsely and Booth poured him a cup and put a straw in the cup before holding it out to Sweets so he could drink. The water soothed Sweets dry throat. "Thank you." Sweets whispered, his voice clearer now, calming down significantly.

"It's no problem." Booth said with a shrug.

"Uncle Sweets is awake!" A voice chirped from the doorway and the dou turned to see Brennan standing in the doorway with Christine in her arms. Brennan smiled and walked over to him before sitting the child next to Sweets.

"Hey there..." Sweets tried to smile but then whinced when his face burned in pain.

"Oh, be careful, Uncle Sweets!" Christine said softly. "You face is still all swollen up with bruises."

"Okay..." He nodded softly.

"Do you like the blanket? Aunt Angela brought it in to make you more comfortable. Michael and drew you a bunch of pictures to, do you like them?" She asked with big, hopeful eyes.

"Course I do." Sweets said with a painful half smile. "I woke up, just so I could see them. How long was I out?"

"You were in a coma for three days." Brennan said, voice both clinical and soft.

"You really scared us, Sweets." Booth added.

"Sorry." Sweets coughed and whinced when his sides ached and flared painfully.

"Are you okay?" Christine asked, her little eyebrows scrunching together.

"I'm fine." Sweets nodded painfully.

"Why is Uncle Sweets lying?" Christine looked up to her father.

"Because he's a big knuckle head." Booth smiled and patted Sweets' head before pushing the pain med button. Sweets breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Knuckle head." Christine said, patting his head like her father did.

"Look who decided to join the land of the living." Hodgins voice joked from the doorway.

"Hello, Hodgins, is everyone here?" Sweets asked, looking at Hodgins through his swollen eyes.

"Pretty much, the doctor said that you should be waking up today, so..." Hodgins shrugged a shoulder.

"Have you guys been sleeping at all? You look like crap." Sweets halfed laughed before whincing. He didn't even want to know how bad _he_ looked. If was half as bad as it felt, it was pretty bad.

"Hey, you like crap, we look good." Yup, he looked bad.

"Be nice, Uncle Hodgins!" Christine scowled softly.

"Hey, looks like I got at least one on my side." Sweets moved a sore arm to rap around Christine.

"We are all on your side, Sweets." Booth with surpising a emotion and Sweets gave him a strange look.

"Okay then..."

"Angela is taking a nap with Michael Vincent, just wait intill they see you."

################################################################################

It was quiet. _Really quiet._

Angela had cried when she saw him awake, but Sweet had seen it coming. HE had spent most of the time sleeping, he so tired. Wether it was from the beating or the pain meds, he didn't know. HE didn't really feel much like talking, but he had tried for their sake. He was trying to sort out his brain. He could only remember bits and pieces of what happened and the pain meds were making it harder. The real question was why was Booth still here when the others had gone home? Did he know something to others didn't?

"Sweets..."

Sweets heard Booth's voice break through his thoughts and winced, this wasn't going to be good.

"Yes?"

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?"

"Damnit, Sweets, don't play stupid." Booth growled, glaring at Sweets sharply before calming down. "What... do you remember?"

"I... I remember some parts, bits and pieces." Sweets closed his eyes and he was baraged with series of new images... He rolled him over, he grabbed something... a pipe. Tears sprang to his eyes. "He... he raped me... didn't he?"

"Yes..."

"Oh God." Sweets cried out, his tears running freely now.

"I know, I'm sorry, Sweets." Booth hugged Sweets gentlely and let him cry on his shoudler. He wanted to ask if he knew his attacker, but that would have to wait. Sweets was hurting right now.

"Don't touch me." Sweets slurred out suddenly, squirming from his grasp.

"What?" Booth blinked. "Sweets, I'm not gonna-"

"I know, just- just don't, okay?" Sweets looked down at the sheets and rapped his arms around his aching abdomen.

"Sweets-"

"DON'T!" Sweets screeched and it was at that time that Sweets' doctor entered.

"Mr. Booth, maybe you should leave." It wasn't a statement, it was an order.

"Okay then... I'll be back, Sweets." Booth said, getting up and walking out.

#############################################################################

"Something is bothering you." Brennan said suddenly and Booth turned his head to look at her.

"Hm?"

"Something is bothering you... I don't like it." Brennan tilted her head at him.

"I wish I could tell you, Bones... But it's not my place." Booth kissed the top of her head.

"Is it about Sweets?"

"Yes, Bones it's about Sweets."

"His attacker raped him, didn't they?" She asked suddenly and his eyes widdened drasticly.

"Where did that come from?" He sputtered, his eyes so wide he thought they would burst from him skull.

"The doctor talked to you privately because of legal matters. That usually preludes to two reasons. The viticim is brain dead, or raped. Sweets is not brain dead." Brennan said in her usual manner of clinicalness.

"Yeah... he was raped." Booth nodded solemnly.

"I find that I want to harm to the person how hurt Sweets." Brennan said, clenching her hands into fists.

"I know, Bones, I'm right there with you on that one. But Sweets hasn't said anything about who did it." Booth rapped his arms around Brennan.

"You will find out, right?"

"Yes, then I'll hold the bastard down and let you take a few swings." Booth smiled, kissing her.

"Thank you."

**Author's note:**

** Short chapter sucks. BLARG. It'll get better once Sweets tells them who did it... that, how ever, probably isn't going to be easy. XD TILL NEXT TIME MY DUCKIES! REVIEW~**


	5. Chapter 5

"Hey there..." Angela whispered as she walked into Sweets room. It had been a few day now and Lance was healing well. His face was even starting to look like- well his face.

"You just missed your son." Sweets mumbled staring at the ceiling. "Hodgind took him to go to the bathroom."

"Thats okay." Angela said before sitting by Sweets and looking at him closely. He had been becoming more distant as the days went. He upright refused to talk to Booth anymore and he squirmed whenever a man touched him, well he squirmed a little if anybody touched him but it was worse with Booth and Hodgins. He had stopped trying to smile at all. Angela really wanted to see him smile... "Michael Vincent is getting to a very... embarrasing age. His scheech is pretty developed but he hasn't learned how to lie or be discrete yet. He announces everything he does. The other day, we were in the store, he was sitting in that little front seat and he just... lets one rip, and of course I try to pretend it didn't happen but then he goes and yells 'MOMMY I FARTED.' I don't think he has any shame."

"I think he has a little shame." Sweets said with a goust of a smile. "Just now when he was with me, he was sitting here right by me, doodling away and he cut the cheese. He then whispers in this tiny, embarrased voice 'I'm so sorry, Uncle Sweets.'"

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!" Angela covered her mouth and laughed, shaking her head.

"It's okay, it was really cute." Sweets said with a small one shoulder shrug.

"Sweets..." Angela said softly, something in her tone changing. "You know, if anything is wrong you can tell me, right."

"Angela..." Sweets groaned, rolling his head to look away from her.

"I know you don't want to talk about it... but if you know who did this to you... you need to tell us... we can help you." Angela put a soft hand on his shoulder.

"I don't need helping, Angela, I'm not a child... besides, I'm not in any danger now. I know... I know what this was about. It was about revenge and he got that. He is probably long gone by now." Sweets said in almost a whisper.

"Then you can tell us who it is, we can nail the bastard!" Angela said, determined.

"No, Angela!"

"Sweets..." Angela sighed before biting her lip. "You remind of a friend I had in college... she was raped by this creep. She didn't want to report it, but they caught the guy later when he tried to do it to another girl... You're acting like she did in the hospital after her attack. Your attacker... didn't just beat you... did he...?"

"I didn't remember it at first..." Sweets said, still not looking at her. "But... But now..." His voice wavered.

"Oh my God, Sweets." Angela felt tears well up in her eyes and she rapped her arms around him as gently as she could. "I'm so sorry... please, Sweets, please tell me who did this, please."

"No..." Sweets whispered, shaking his head. "Angela... I'm tired..."

"Fine... you rest now, but this isn't over..." Angela released him and gently stroked the top of his head. Sweets closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. Angela kissed his forehead. "You poor soul..."

#################################################################################

"Booth, we have to nail this bastard." Angela said, storming into Booth's office.

"Good morning to you to, Angela." Booth said, not looking up.

"Booth, he raped Sweets, Sweets told me, we have to nail the bastard who did this to the wall!"

"Angela, shhhhhh!" Booth whispered and closed the door behind her. "Keep your voice down. Okay, what all did Sweets tell you? Did he finally give up his attacker?"

"No... but he did say it was about revenge, which doesn't even make any sense I mean Sweets has never done anything wrong enough to deserve this to happen to him." Angela rubbed her face with both hands.

"Wait..." Booth eyes widdened in relazation. "Oh my God, why didn't I think of this before!"

"Think of what?"

"Sweets' foster father just got out of prison awhile ago and his parrol officer lost track of him a bit back." Booth said quickly. "This case just got cracked wide open. We now have suspect in the attack of a Federal Agent. We need to find out who this gut is and try to locate him."

"Aren't we going to charge him with rape?"

"Thats Sweets' choice, not ours. If Sweets doesn't report it, we can't charge him with it, but I'll charge him with anything else I can."

"Thats not fair!" Angela cried out, stomping her foot.

"It's how it works, Angela, I can't bend to law to my will. Don't worry, we'll catch him."

#################################################################################

Sweets stared at the blank ceiling of his hospital room. He couldn't sleep, even time he closed his eyes he saw HIS face. It was torture. He really didn't want to be here in the hospital anymore, but they wouldn't let him leave while he was till in intensive care. Maybe once they moved him from intensive care, they would let him sign himself out. He wanted to go room to his own bed. There was suddenly a loud slap sound and he saw that a file had been slapped down infront of him. The file had Tim's face pinned to it.

"Tim Handson, forty-nine years old, resently released from prison for severe child abuse. Has skipped out on parrol." Booth said, borrowing his eyes into his own. "He was put in jail for the abuse of five yearold Lance Sweets. We are going to find him, Sweets, wether you like it or not!"

Sweets gulped and looked back at the ceiling.

**Author's note:**

** Sorry it took awhile, I got... a little put off because of a lack of response for the last chapter -u-" Review, my baby ducks! :P**


	6. Chapter 6

Tracking down Handson wasn't hard, the man wasn't a genius. He was a total bastard, but he wasn't the sharpest pencil in the pencil case. He was vengful, but stupid. It didn't take long for Angela to track him through his records. Which brought Booth where he was now. He was charging through a grudgy, second rate hotel, looking for Handson's room. He finally arrived, cuffs at the ready.

"FBI, open up!" Booth pounded on the door and a very pissed off man answered the door.

"What the hell do you want!?" He hissed. Booth couldn't help but noticed the healing black eye and busted lip, it almost made him want to smile.

"Your under arrest for the assault of Lance Sweets!" Booth growled, shoving the man roughly against the wall and cuffed him.

"THAT FUCKING TATTLE TALE!" The man howled as Booth hauled him out of the building. "I'LL FUCKING KILL THAT BASTARD NEXT TIME!"

"You'll have to get past me first." Booth growled, shoving him in a police car.

After a very loud and curse filled drive, they arrived at the FBI building for questioning.

"Where were you a week ago?" Booth asked cooly.

"Wait... you should no already unless..." Tim paused and let out a cruel laugh. "That little coward didn't give me up, did he? Good, he learned. Do you have any proof I did anything?"

"You're out top suspect. You have a history with Sweets and you skipped town shortly before and after the attack."

"Thats's nothing!" He laughed. "Fine, you throw around your fancy legal terms and accusations, but I want a lawer."

##################################################################################

"Uncle Sweets!" Christine cooed, waddling in, Brennan behind her. "Uncle Sweets, we made cookies." Christine giggled, clamoring into the hospital bed, a small tubware container in here tiny little hands.

"You did?" Sweets gave the child a weak smile.

"Yes, we did. It was Christine's idea. I did most of the work, but Christine did stir the dough some. We had fun." Brennan smiled as she walked over.

"Sounds like it." Sweets said taking the cookies. "Thank you, this was really sweet of you."

"Eat one." Christine took a cookie from the container.

"That okay, I-" It was then that a cookie was simply shoved in his mouth. He chewed it up slowly and swallowed. "Thank you, that was delicious."

"Your welcome. " Christine cooed, snuggling up against him.

"Be careful of his ribs!" Brennan warned.

"Yes, mommy." Christine mumbled.

"Sweets!" Booth shouted, bursting in.

"Booth, I thought you were interrogating Tim Handson?" Brennan looked at Booth in confusion and Sweets simply looked down at his sheets.

"He's lawered up and I don't have any proof to keep him there. I NEED Sweets to identify him as his attacker. He can even pin him for the..." He rest his eyes on Christine briefly. "That other thing he did."

"Booth, as much as I think that Sweets should do that, he clearly doesn't desire to do so and constantly badgering about it is clearly causing him destress."

"BUT-"

"No, Booth, leave."

"But Bones-"

"Go, Booth, and find some way to put that bad man in jail for hurting our friend." Brennan's eyes bored into his.

"Fine." Booth grit his teeth and left.

"Thank you..." Sweets said in a small, soft voice.

"Your making a mistake by not reporting him."

"Maybe I am... but that's not really your choice."

############################################################################

Sweets closed his eyes, trying to sort out his turbulant mind. His brain was so... full. It hurt him. He didn't want to report Tim, it would end poorly for him in the end but Booth is so upset with him over it. He wasn't sure anymore.

"Lance." Sweets snapped his eyes open and looked at the source of the voice. One Daisy Wick.

"Daisy..."

"Hello, Lance, they told me what was going on." She walked up to his bed and gently took his hand.

"I figured as much." Sweets chewed on his lip.

"You should do it, Lance, report him, indentify him as your attacker."

"He... raped me this time Daisy..." Sweets whispered in a broken voice.

"I know..."

"He's never- never done that before..." Sweets whimpered, looking at her with tearful eyes.

"I know..." Daisy gave him a sad smile and gently stroked his swollen cheek with her thumb.

"I can't do it... I just can't, Daisy.. If I put him in jail again... he'll be out in a few years... He'll kill me next time, Daisy." He leaned into her touch slightly.

"No. If you do this, you know Agent Booth will make sure he spends the rest of his life rotting in a cell."

"I can't."

"I'll help you."

"Daisy, your not my girlfriend anymore, you don't have to-" Sweet started before she put a soft finger to his lips.

"I may not be your girlfriend, but I am your friend and I won't let you sit here and destroy yourself like this." Daisy gave him a meaningful look and a small smile graced his lips as the tears ran down his face.

"Thank you..."

##################################################################################

"There has to be SOMETHING we can do-" Booth shouted in frustration in the hall outside the interrogation room. Brennan tried to calm him down to no avail, when a voice interupted the raging agent.

"Agent Booth, Dr. Brennan." Daisy's voice came from behind them and they turned to see her, pushing a wheelchair towards them. In that wheelchair sat the battered Dr. Sweets. The wheelchair was decked out with a heart moniter and an IV. "Lance would like to help."

**Author's note:**

** Hahaha, yes. They got the bastard in custody! But that doesn't mean this over, not by a long shot :P**

** REVIEW MY BABY DUCKIES~~~**


	7. Chapter 7

"He is?" Booth gapped at Daisy before looking at Sweets, who gives a nod, avoiding eye contact.

"What did you do to change his mind?" Brennan asked, walking over to her young intern.

"We just had a little talk." Daisy smiled and rubbed the top of Sweets' head.

"You two aren't together again, are you? Because if you break up again I'm not-" Booth groaned and crossed before Daisy stopped his little rant in the making.

"No, Agent Booth, we aren't back together. I may have been Lance's girlfriend in the past but now I'm his friend and I want to help him. I know what Lance went through at the hands of that man in there and I know he needs some help. It doesn't matter that we couldn't make a go of things, Lance is still my friend and we... have a special bond, that being formally intimate creates. The relationship died, but that bond is still there. Lance loves you guys, but he was too proud to really talk to you about what happened... don't worry, he'll talk to you eventually, just give him time. For now, he wants to help." Daisy said with nod before smiling down at Lance.

"Yes." Lance nodded. "I'll... I'll identify him as my attacker..."

"Okay then, come on, Sweets." Booth went to go get behind the wheelchair to push him.

"I'd like Daisy to push me. Or Dr. Brennan." Sweets peeped, ducking his head down like he was trying to not be seen. He could feel eyes on his. He knew that the whole building knew what happened by now. It was so humilating to be seen as some sort of... victim, even if he was one.

"Okay..." Booth said hardly, walking back towards the interrogation room. "Caroline! Sweets is here!" Booth hollered down the hall and the older woman came tumbing down the hallway.

"Did he finally come to his senses?" She grumbled, looking over the injuried man carefully. Lance nodded in response.

"What can I do?" Sweets asked softly.

"Okay then, Cherie, all I need you do go in there and label him as your attacker." Caroline raised a brow. "Can you do that?"

"Yes." Sweets nodded.

"It's okay, Lance," Daisy soothed, "I'm here for you."

"So am I." Brennan gave him the softest look she could muster.

"So am I." Booth said, giving him a smile.

"Thank you... lets just... get this over with."

"You can do it, Lance." Daisy assured, pushing him towards the room.

##################################################################################

Daisy rolled Sweets into the room slowly. His stomach was in knots and he could feel, and hear on account of the heart monitor, his heart started to beeped faster. He met eyes with his abuser. Tim glared at him, baring his teeth in a threatening why that said 'don't you dare.' Sweets swallowed thickly but he keep up his own gaze. Daisy patted his shoudler and he could feel Booth, Brennan, and Caroline's presence and he felt a surge of bravery flow through his blood and into his bones. He hardened his look at Handson and tried to sit up more in his wheelchair in an attempt to look a little bigger in his feeble state.

"That's him. That's the man who attacked me." He said smoothly, staring the monster that haunted his nightmares down.

"You little-" Tim growled before Booth interupted.

"You wanted proof, Handson, there it is. You have been indentified as the attacker. Your going down for this." Booth grinned triumphantly, slapping his hand down on the interrogation room table.

"Oh, and Daisy," Sweets glanced at the woman before looking back his tormentor, "I need to take me to the local police station. I need to report a _rape._"

"YOU LITTLE SHIT!" Handson howled, leaping forward and knocking Sweet out of his wheelchair. He straddled Lance's abdomen and rapped his hands firmly around the psychologist's neck before anyone could stop him. The lines on the heart monitor became sporadic as the group of people tried to pry the monster from Sweets frail self.

"I always get the crazy ones..." Tim's lawer sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as they ripped his client from Sweets and handcuffed him.

"It's okay, Lance." Daisy cooed softly at Lance, helping the coughing and crying man back into his chair. "Your okay now. He can't hurt you now, they got him cuffed." Daisy whispered, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I'll get you again eventually, you bastard, I will!" Tim hollered at the top of his evil lungs as he was dragged from the room.

"Don't listen to him, he's clearly deranged." Brennan said in the way that she does.

"Yeah, Lance, come on, lets get you back to the hospital..." Daisy said, rubbing his shoulder now.

"N-no..." Sweets squeaked with a weak cough. "I wanna go to the police station."

"You don't have to do that right now, Sweets." Brennan said, her voice taking on a soft tone.

"I want to..." He wipped a stray tear from his face with his bruised hand.

"Okay, whatever you want." Daisy smiled and looked at Dr. Brennan, who also smiled.

################################################################################

"You made the right choice, sweetie." Angela smiled as she rubbed her thumb over the top of his hands.

"Thank you." Sweets gave her a smile before grimancing slightly.

"That was really brave of you, not everyone is brave enough to report it, or bold enough to say that they are infront of their rapist." Angela said with slight chuckle.

"Yeaaahhhh that was a bad move on my part." Sweets grumbled, rubbing the fresh bruise marks on his neck.

"Maybe, but it was sorta ballsy." Angela smirked and Sweets laughed, which turned into a cough.

"Don't you have a picture to draw? Or a son to cuddle?" Sweets smiled as his coughing stopped.

"Hi, Uncle Sweets!" Said son barreled into the room at top speed before climbing into the hospital bed.

"Hello."

"I heard the mean man hurt you again." Michael Vincent said before laying his eyes on Sweets neck. "Did he do that?"

"Yeah, buddy, he did." Sweets nodded his hand with a small smile. "I'm okay, though."

"You needs to get better, Uncle Sweets," The child said seriously, "so you can over and play. I gots some really cool dinosaur toys."

"Sounds cool." Sweets said with a half chuckle that made his chest flair with pain.

"Hey there, little man, what did I say about getting into Uncle Sweets' bed?" Jack asked, strolling causally into the room.

"That I shouldn't do it." Michael Vincent pouted. "But I like it up here ans Uncle Sweets like me up here with him."

"It's fine, Hodgins, he's good company." Sweets adressed Hodgins but the lack of eye contact was very apparent.

"If he ever bothers you-"

"He doesn't." There was an edge in his voice that told Hodgins to drop it.

"Okay... So how is he doing?" He asked his wife, walking up by her.

"The doctor said that Sweets was fine, well fine meaning not worse then before. He is a little bit shooken but other wise, he's fine. He think he can be let out of her with in a week if he keeps healing as well as he is." Angela smiled at Jack looking to Sweets.

"Thats great." Jack smiled at Sweets but Sweets didn't look at him.

"It is." Angela looked at Sweets with a slight smirk. "You know that Booth and Brennan are already getting their place ready for you to stay in for the rest of your recovery, right?"

"I figured as much." Sweets said, shaking his head with amusement. "They only want me for my coffee, muffins, and DVD collection."

"Yeah, Booth told us you had quite the collection." Hodgins grinned and Sweets gave him a one shouldered shrug.

"I guess."

"Maybe I can come over and you, me, and Booth can watch some kungfu flicks."

"Maybe... I'm tired... I like I'm going to take a nap." Sweets rolled over slightly, and closed his eyes.

"Me to." Michael Vincent laid down and rolled over the side and close his eyes.

"I don't think so." Jack laughed, picking his son up. The youngling squealed with joy as his father carried him from the room.

"Sweet dreams, Sweets." Angela smiled, patting the hand she was holding before standing up and leaving.

##################################################################################

Brennan walked into her bedroom, clad in her navy nightgown. She looked at Booth, who was laying out sprawled out on bed with his hands on his face. She sat next to him before laying down.

"We got him." Brennan said softly, looking up at the ceiling.

"For now." Booth grunted, peaking through his hands at her.

"What do you mean?" Brennan asked, screwing her eyebrows together.

"There is going to be a trail, Bones, and if Sweets can't or won't testify..." Booth groaned and rolled to the side and rapped his arms around her.

"We can talk to him." Brennan said, pressing her forehead against his.

"Maybe you can." Booth grumbled bitterly.

"Booth, don't talk like that. Sweets is hurt right now, and it was a man who did it to him. A man who had done it before. He is simply returning to the defense mechanisms he used as an adolencent." Brennan gave him a kiss.

"I just want to help him!"

"I know, Booth."

"He is so stubborn!"

"I know."

"He's so frustrating!"

"Booth." She breathed heavily into his face.

"Yeah, Bones?"

"Stop talking about Sweets." She breathed out before kissing him again, deeper.

**AUTHORS NOTE:**

** Look at me, updating. So proud of myself XD lol So yeah, Tim is in jail, but will he stay there? Thats for ME to know and for you find out, my duckies! :D**

** Review, darlings! :3**


	8. Chapter 8

"Okay, Dr. Sweets, you look good here." Sweet's doctor smiled as he moved away from the uncomfortable man. "I think your all set to leave the hospital. You are going home with some of your friends?"

"Yeah, Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan are taking me in intill I'm work ready." Sweets smiled, sitting up in bed.

"Well that might be a while. You are out of the woods but you still have a lot of healing to do. If I release you, you have to keep taking your painkillers and your antibodics if you don't want to get an infection but besides that, you're good to go. Now, I know you want to walk out of here and your walking has gotten much better but I want to the ride in a wheelchair intill you're back to your full strength."

"But-"

"Dr. Sweets," The doctor scolded, "you almost collapsed this morning after two laps, you're riding in the wheelchair or you're not leaving!"

"Fine." Sweets groaned through bared teeth.

"Okay then, I'll go get your discharge papers while you call your friends to pick you up." The doctor nodded at him and Sweets picked up his phone and called Brennan.

Thirty minutes later he was ready to leave. He was sitting in his up in his hospital bed, waiting for Brennan to show up and bring him home when who else but Booth shows up.

"Booth? B-but I called Brennan." Sweets gulped, looking at Booth with wide eyes.

"Yeah, and she told me to come get you." Booth said with crossed arms. "You ready?"

"Yeah, you got my stuff at your house?"

"Picked it up the other day."

"Thanks." Sweets broke any sort of eye contact he had with the agent and slid out of bed before walking slowly over to his wheelchair and sliding in.

"Still having trouble walking?" Booth asked and Sweets nodded slightly. "Okay then, come on, kid." Booth walked over and started to push him. It wasn't long before they got over to Booth's car. Booth put a hand on Sweets arm to help in get into the car and he immediately felt Sweets muscles tense under his touch. "It's okay, Sweets, I'm just helping you get into the car."

Booth helped Sweets get in and before folding up the wheelchair. He got into the drivers seat and started the car up. He looked over at Sweets. He had his arms crossed protectively over his chest and was leaning against the passenger side window, looking uncomfortable. Booth felt his gut stir.

"Sweets, you know I'm not gonna hurt you, right?" Booth looked over at him with the softest look he could muster up.

"Yeah, I know that... It's just... Just give me some time, okay? The monster from my nightmares came back and attacked me... all I need is a little bit of time, okay?" Sweets rubbed his soar neck and bit his lip.

"Okay... I just want you to know if you need to talk... we are all here for you."

"I know... I'm just... not ready."

"Okay."

##################################################################################

"Uncle Sweets?" A tiny voice whispered through the darkness. Sweets ignored the voice and tried to slip back into sweet, sweet sleep. That did not happen. "UNCLE SWEETS!"

"What?" He groaned, peaking his eyes open to look at the smilely Christine.

"Mommy say it's time for you to take your medicines." Christine rocked back and forth on her feet, looking like the picture of innocence.

"Okay..." Sweets groaned, sitting up.

"Why have you been falling asleep on the couch?"

"Because I'm resting and your parents wanted me to be entertianed."

"You sleep a bunch."

"I know."

"Why?"

"Christine, where is your Mommy?" Sweets gave the child the sweetest smile he could muster.

"She is getting your medicines." Christine smiled back.

"I'm right here!" Brennan said, walking in with his antibodics. "Christine, don't bother your Uncle Sweets."

"I wasn't!" The girl pouted and the two adults exchanged glances.

"Okay, Christine."

"Are you ready to practice walking?" Christine asked as Sweets swollowed his medicine.

"I think so. Are you going to help me again?" Sweets smiled, swinging his feet around and putting his feet on the floor.

"Yes." Christine grabbed his hand as he stood up.

##################################################################################

God, it hurt. It hurt so bad. He was sweating perfusely through his shirt and his hairline was soaked. His legs hurt and felt like they had been dipped in scalding oil, burning like they had caught fire. His body was crying out for him to stop, aching and screaming for him to just sit down. Sweets was so tired he thought he may fall over.

"Come on, Uncle Sweets, just a little more." Christine cooed softly at him, squeezing his hand and anchoring him back to earth.

"I- I-" Sweets wheezed before hobbling over to the couch and basicly collasping onto it.

"That was real good, Uncle Sweets, you almost made past three laps." Christine gave him a sweet smile.

"Thanks, Christine." Sweets coughed out of his dry lungs.

"Water?" Brennan handed him the glass and Sweets readily excepted. "How did he do today, Christine?"

"He did good. He almost made it past three laps." Christine held up three fingers as she proclaimed that, as if to illistrate her piont.

"That's great to hear! Booth will be pleased to hear this. You'll be back to work within a month at this rate." Brennan grinned and clasped her hands together.

"Great." Sweets muttered, though there was an almost sarcastic tone to his voice.

"Christine, why don't you go take a bath before dinner?" Brennan smiled at her daughter, who nodded and scittered off quickly. She turned to Sweets. "I'm not good at picking up on other peoples emotions but something seems to be bothering you. Do you not want to get back at work as soon as possible?"

"Yes...! No! Not really, I mean... everyone knows what happened and... I don't want to be looked at like a victim or as weak and... I'm worried that that's how I'll be treated and looked at... maybe it's time that I... move on." Sweets rubbed the back of his sweaty neck.

"Move on?" Brennan asked, her voice a gasp.

"Well, yeah, I mean I was only supposed to work with the FBI for a little bit. I was called in because of my paper on the effects of job stress and now... I'm just a profiler and... well I like the work I did when I went on sabatical after Pelant... used my works against us. I still get offers sometimes from Psychology practices, maybe it's time, you know?" Sweets bit his lip and looked down at the ground as if it held the answers to all his problems.

"But... what about us? We are your family, Sweets. You're part of our team now." Brennan gave him a sad look. She felt a pang deep in her chest.

"I know that... I'd keep in touch, promise." Sweets tried to give her a smile, but it gave her no comfort.

"No, you wouldn't. You didn't the last time, and you wouldn't if you did it again." Brennan look had now turned harsh and cold.

"Look, I'm only thinking about it. I might not even do it, okay?" Sweets snapped tiredly and rolled over to face away from her. "I'm tired." It was clear that Sweets was done talking and Brennan sighed, walking off with a shake of the head.

##################################################################################

"He is thinking of leaving the FBI."

"What?" Booth asked, looking over to his wife, perplexed by her words. She was standing at the sink, scrubbing furiously at a dish as if the dish killed a puppy infront of her.

"Sweets. He wants to leave the FBI."

"What!" Booth groaned and ran a hand across his face. "Didn't we already go over this with him?"

"Yes, but if he goes this time, I don't think we will get him back." Brennan sighed and sat the dish back into the sink. "Am I wrong for thinking badly of this? He could be happier at a practice with other psychologists. With his intelligence and credencials he could potientially make a lot of money."

"That doesn't matter, Bones, he is a part of this team whether he likes it or not." Booth shook his head. "I'm not losing him again. You have to talk some sense into him."

"Me? Why me?"

"He won't listen to me, Bones, you gotta do it."

"Fine..." She sighed,uncrossing her arms and biting her lip softly.

"But for now... lets get you to bed, alright, you look tired." Booth smiled and gave her a kiss on her cheek. She returned the kiss, but on his lips.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

** And the plot thickens, sort of. I got Sweets out of the hospital, thats something, right? XD And I gave you a nice little fluff piece in the middle there to balance out the other stuff XD lol REVIEW MEH DUCKYS! :D**


	9. Chapter 9

Sweets woke up with a yawn. He wasn't sure what time it was, but he was used to sleeping in a little at this piont. He stretched his achy legs out a little bit and wiggled his toes. He was sure Dr. Brennan would swarm upon him any moment, telling him to take his medicine. That was not what happened.

"Hey, Booth, I think he's waking up! Where does Dr. B keep his meds?" Hodgins voice hollered and Sweets opened his eyes to see Hodgins standing there. "Hey there, Sweets, welcome back to the land of the living." Hodgins smiled at Sweetss and the injuried man shriveled slightly.

"Where's Brennan?" Sweets squeaked softly, looking away from Hodgins.

"She had some old body coming in today so she left you in Booth and I's capable hands. I also brought Michael Vincent along. He wanted to help."

"I found his meds, Hodgins." Booth said, walking in with pills in hand. "Here you go." Booth handed them over and Sweets took them with relative ease.

"Thanks." Sweets mumbled, pulling his blanket tighter around himself like a shield.

"No problem."

"Uncle Sweets!" Michael Vincent ran in and jumped on the couch with Sweets. He gave Sweets a hug, unaware of the tension in the room. "You're awake."

"Yup." Sweets gave the child a smile.

"Daddy and Uncle Booth said we was gonna watch cool kungfu movies!" He grinned up at Sweets with his big, innocent eyes sparkling at him.

"They did? Sounds awesome." Sweets ruffled the boy's hair with a small grin.

"Daddy said he hoped that after a day of hangin' out that you would stop acting like a stubborn jacka-" Michael Vincent said before Hodgins covered his son's mouth and picked him up.

"Kids these days." Hodgins said sheepishly, a blush creeping onto his face.

"Mhm..." Sweets gave Hodgins a hard look.

"HEEYYY, why don't I make us some eggs for breakfast, then we can start a little movie marathon, yeah?" Booth clapped his hands together with a grin but Sweets and Hodgins continued to stare each other down.

"Okay." They both said.

##################################################################################

It wasn't very far into the second movie they watched that Sweets fell asleep. They weren't surprised by it, they knew Sweets had been resting and Brennan told them he sleept most of the day. She had given them instructions on what to do and a few warnings. And even though they were warned it might happen, they were still surprised when the screaming started.

Sweets face turned red as the night terrors started. His brow furrowed and his voice cracked as he screamed out. Michael Vincent started to cry and Booth and Hodgins began to panic.

"What do we do!?" Hodgins squeaked, picking up his son and holding him.

"I don't know!"

"Dr. B said to- um- to calm him down! She said to stroke his hair, or whatever, right?"

"I'm not doing that." Booth waved his hands out.

"BOOTH."

"FINE, fine." Booth walked over to Sweets and squatted down by him before hestitantly stroking his hair and shushing him softly. "It's okay, Sweets, it's okay..."

"Booth... wh-why are you st-stroking m-myy hair?" Sweets stuttered at he woke up, his eyes just bearly open.

"You were having night terrors." Booth said, withdrawing his hand quickly.

"S-sorry..." Sweets whimpered, his body still shaking with the tremors of his night terror.

"Whats wrong with Uncle Sweets?" Michael Vincent whined through the tears in his bright eyes.

"I'm s-sorry if I scaried you buddy... It was just a bad dream, buddy." Sweets croaked with his soar throat, trying to sit up. Michael Vincent squirmed from his fathers arms and ran past Booth before going and rapping his little arms around Sweets.

"It's okay, Uncle Sweets..." He mumbled into his shoulder.

"Uh, what are you doing, Michael Vincent?" Hodgins asked his son softly.

"I'm giving Sweets a hug. It always make me feel better to be hugged after I have a nightmare."

"Thank you, buddy." Sweets wrapped an arm around around the child.

"Did it work? Do you feel better?" Michael Vincent looked up at Sweets with big eyes that were full of hope.

"A... A little bit." Sweets have the tot a smile, though his hands still trembled slightly.

"Are you cold? Your hands is shakin' Uncle Sweets."

"I'm fine."

"I think he needs some warm tea." Hodgins grinned at his son, who nodded and leapt down from the couch. "Lets go make him some tea." Hodgins grabbed hgis son's hand and led him off to the kitchen and out of earshot, shooting Booth a look as he went.

"Sweets..." Booth said hestiantly. "Do you... want to talk about it?"

"No." Sweets said, his vioce taking on an almost hard, cold tone that more so says 'fuck off' then just plain 'no.' Booth sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Look, I'm taking a page out of your shrinky book saying this, but you know you have to take about it. You always tell us to talk about our problems. And avioding Hodgins and I won't change what happened."

"I know that Agent Booth, I'm just not ready to talk about it." Sweets hissed at Booth through beared teeth, his eyes glaring angrily at Booth. If his look were any colder, Booth might freeze to death.

"When will you be? In another thirty, maybe forty years? Because the last time this guy hurt you, you buried it so deep down, it took us seeing your scars to know anything at all and you never talk about it, or your time in foster care, or your parents for that matter! We have told you all about our pasts, what makes you different?" Booth gave Sweets his own hard look in return.

"Back off." Sweets bit at him, his look hardening further.

"Avioding me won't work, Sweets, I'm not a bug, or some sort annoying itch. I'm not going anywhere."

"Screw you!" Sweets hissed, rolling over and rapping his arms around himself protectively.

"Booth! Leave him alone!" Hodgins hollered from the kitchen.

"Yeah." Michael Vincent poked his head out at Booth. "You're makin' him yell. Aunty Brennan said he needed to rest, not yell."

"Michael, get back over here." Hodgins scolded and Michael Vincent trotted back over to his father.

"You'll have to stop avioding me eventually, you have to work with me." Booth hissed quietly at Sweets.

"No, I don't!" Sweets snapped, not turning around to look at him. Booth froze, he had forgotten about that.

"Sweets..." His voice softened and so did his eyes.

"Leave me alone! But thank you, for making my decision to leave easier."

"Sweets." Booth felt wounded, he couldn't lie about that. "I- ... I'm sorry."

"Just... Leave me alone, Booth." Sweets vioce was softer then before, almost broken.

"Okay..."

##################################################################################

"He's going leave." Booth said, looking at Bones with his best, 'I screwed up please help me' look.

"What?" Brennan quirked a brow at him.

"Sweets is going to quuit his job... I... got in a fight with him today." Booth said, bracing himself for her response.

"BOOTH! Why would get in a fight with before I could speak with him!? I left you and Hodgins with him today so you could rebond, not so you could fight with him!" Brennan groaned at Booth, shaking her head.

"It's not like I did it on purpose!" Booth ran a hand through his hair.

"Maybe I can still fix it..." Brennan sighed, rubbing her face. "I need you to be on your best behavior, Booth, no more fights."

"I'll try..." Booth said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Please talk to him tommorrow, I have... someone to track down. I have an idea."

"I'll will..." Brennan nodded, but she didn't question who he was tracking down. She trusted him enough to know that it would eventually become known to her his reasoning.

"Thanks, Bones."

"You're welcome." Brennan leaned over and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

###############################################################################

Akward.

He felt so freaking awkard.

He had tracked down Sweets social worker from when he was in foster care. He figured if anyone could help him understand Sweets, it was her. A Mrs. Sarah Rodgers. Now he was waiting. And waiting and waiting and waiting. Then, the door finally opened.

"Seeley Booth?" A woman in her late fifty's, early sixty's asked, smiling at him.

"Ah, yes, Mrs. Rodgers." Booth cleared his throat and stood up before strolling into her office.

"Please, call me Sarah." She smiled as she let him into her office. "You said you wanted to talk about Lance?"

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

** AND BAM, I'm cutting you off :P For now. The next chapter is going to sort of go into the pain in the title -u-" But- You'll have to wait to see Booth and Sarah's talk :3 Don't worry, it won't be long my duckies! :D**

** Review, duckies, they make me smile! :D**


	10. Chapter 10

"Um, yeah, I wanted to to talk about Sweets." Booth shuffled into the office. There were a few childrens drawings hung on the wall and Booth couldn't help but notice that one was signed 'Lance.' "Did he draw that?"

"Mhm, Lance was has one of my first real cases. I've always had a real soft spot for him." Sarah smiled as she went and sat down in her chair. "Is something wrong? I know that his foster father resently got out of jail."

"Actually, this has to do with him..." Booth hestitated slightly.

"What did he do? What did that bastard do to Lance now!?" Sarah huffed, slamming a hand down her desk, her eyes going from sweet to hard and stormy.

"He attacked Sweets a few weeks ago." Booth said, deciding it was best to keep the rape part a secret for now. "It was pretty severe."

"Damnit." Sarah hissed angrily.

"We caught him, and we're going to trial soon but we are having some... issues with Sweets."

"Issues? Wait, let me guess, he's being stubborn, hard-headed, and he's avioding you. Probably any grown men, am I right?" Sarah crossed her arms with a sigh.

"Bingo." Booth groaned in exasperation.

"Oh, Lance..." She mumbled to her self before looking to Booth. "I can't say I'm surpised, with all Lance went through, I'm not surpised. It's just who he was condictioned. As far as the stubborness, it's a mechanism, he used it when he was little. He knew if he told anyone what was... what was going on in that house, that Tim would just beat him harder. I remember when Lance became my case. He was in the hospital..."

_FLASHBACK..._

_ She walked down the hallway, her feet falling quickly. She had just been called in by the hospital staff. A young boy, one Lance Sweets, had been brought in by his foster parents for a broken arm and what they found was... disturbing when they saw a few strange bruises on the boy and wanted to do a full exam. The response from the foster father was explosive. They found whip marks on his back and bruises on his ribs as well as other parts of his body. That was when she was called in. _

_ "How is he?" She asked the childs doctor when she reached him. _

_ "I don't know, after we examined him and got the cast on he clammed up. He's over there." The doctor pionted at the boy. The child was small for his age. He was sitting there, his back to her and the back of his gown was opened up slightly so she could see his back. She couuld see the healing whip marks on his back, some older, some newer. There was an aray of bruises of different sizes and colors littering the childs back. She shirveled internally, she had never had a case like this before. Before now, it was mostly domestic disputes._

_ "Sweetie, how are you doing?" She asked softly as she walked around to see his face. He jumped slightly at the sound of her vioce and glanced at her breifly but he didn't speak."I came here to talk to you... if you're foster father did this to you-"_

_ "Tim wouldn't hurt me." The child responded, his voice empty and small, like a trained response._

_ "Lance... You don't have to defend him anymore, they are going to lock him up." She said softly._

_ "He didn't hurt me." The response was almost automatic, like that of a machine. _

_ "Lance-"_

_ "NO!" He screeched, crossing his arms over his chest in a defensive way. _

_ "Hey, hey... calllmm down. You're okay. You're okay now..." She rapped her arms around him and held him. He resisted at first but after a minute he calmed and began to cry. He didn't sob, he just cried. After a few, twenty, minutes the boy spoke again._

_ "I tried to be good..." He whimpered softly into her shirt. _

_ "Shhhh... It's okay..."_

_ "I tried to be good, he only hit me when I was bad..."_

_ "It's okay, I'm going to make sure he doesn't hurt you again." Sarah whispered and picked the child up and carried him from hospital._

"Poor Sweets..." Booth murmured, rubbing his face. "What can I do? I just want to help him. I'm way out of my comfort zone here, but I just want to help him, however I can."

"I don't know, Mr. Booth, you may just have to wait him out, I'm afriad. I could visit, if you think it would help." Sarah said, leaning back in her chair.

"I'm willing to try anything at this piont." Booth groaned.

"Then lets go then."

###############################################################################

Sweets rolled over with a grunt before screwing his eyes shut. His head hurt like a S.O.B. It was so... full. His thoughts and feeling were becoming mixed and tangled in a way that made him feel like he might just burst out of his skin and catch fire.

"Lance?" He heard a voice sound out softly. His eyes flew open and there she was. Sarah.

"Sarah? What are you doing here?" He said with a smile as he sat up.

"Your friend payed me a visit." Sarah walked over and gave him a soft hug. "Tim did this?" She asked, rubbing a soft thumb over his still puffy cheek.

"He did..." Sweets murmured.

"That bastard." She growled, eyes flashing with anger.

"It's fine... I-I don't want to talk about it." He grunted, his body langage leaning towards the defensive. "How are your kids?"

"Toms wife just had their first baby and Michelle's daughter just started Pre-K." She smiled at him softly.

"Oh my God, thats amazing." Sweets laughed and gave her a kind smile.

"I'm not here to play catch up, Lance, your friends are concerned."

"You mean Booth." Sweets groaned, scowling and looking up and seeing Booth standing there. "Why can't you just leave well enough alone!?"

"Lance-"

"Because I'm worried about you, you stubborn jackass!" Booth seethed and Sarah sighed. She knew this was going to end poorly.

"I'm the jackass? You went and got my old social worker and you constantly bug me about something I don't what to talk about!"

"I'm trying to help you! You need to talk about it! YOU taught me that!"

"FINE! You want to know!?" Sweets screamed from soar lungs before standing up and walking over on shaking legs. He faced away from Booth and preceded to take off his shirt, which ended up being more like a battle against his shirt but the shirt came off none the less. "He gave me these after I dropped and broke a cereal bowl!" Sweets pionted to the most resent whip scars. "He gave me these when I came home late from Kindergarten because a bunch of third graders kicked my ass!" He pionted to the ones under the ones he was pionting to previously. "He gave me these after I mouthed off to him! And it goes on and on and on, Booth!" Sweetsw spun around, revealing the healing marks all over his body and the stitches from his surgey. "And he gave me THIS for getting him thrown in jail! _THERE, I TOLD YOU!__** NOW WILL YOU LEAVE ME ALONE!?" **_

Sweets face was red and his voice was cracking and strained. Once he was done with his little tantrum he began to cough and weeze before his legs started to give out from under him. Booth leaped to catch, dragging him over to the couch.

"Oh, Lance..." Sarah sighed, putting a hand on his cheek as the man fell unconsious.

"Well... At least he said something." Booth sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You could say that..." Sarah sighed, shaking her head. "If you don't mind, I'm going to stay with Lance a bit."

"Thats fine..." Booth murmured, shuffling away slowly. He had a lot of thinking to do.

**AUTHORS NOTE:**

** This is short and I'm sorry... but hey, it's something, right? -u-"**

** REVIEW MY DUCKIES! :D**


	11. Chapter 11

Sweets shifted slightly with groan as he finally regained conciousness. He rubbed at one of his eyes as he rolled over. He didn't want to wake up yet, he just want to stay in a relaxing sleep state- where there were no Booths asking him bothersome questions.

"That was quiete the meltdown you had there." He heard Sarah's voice break through the dark. He opened his eyes and looked at her before closing them and rolling back over.

"Go away, Sarah."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No... It's... It's just Booth keeps getting on my case. He's upset because I want to quit my job at the FBI." He sighed, rolling over to face her.

"Why on earth would you go and do that?" Sarah asked, tilting her head at him.

"It's just... they all know, Sarah. Everyone at work knows what happened. I didn't ever really get any respect in the first place, I'm only a profiler after all, but now everyone will only see me as a victim. It'll be just like returning to school after Tim was sent to jail when I was a kid. 'Hey look, isn't that the kid who's foster father beat him?', 'Didn't his foster father go to jail?', It'll be kindergarten all over again!" Sweets rubbed a hand over his face.

"Thats a bit of a rash desision, isn't it?"

"No."

"Okay, how about this, you don't make any career choices intill this all over. After you finish recovering and after the trail." Sarah patted his shoulder and he smiled at her.

"Fine, I'll do it for you." He grinned at her, his eyes giving her a sparkle.

"And try to go easy on your friends, they are only trying to help." Sarah gave him a 'you better listen to me you pumkin head' smile.

"But-"

"No buts, Lance, you're worrying them, and me, you gotta talk about it eventually." Sarah gave him a look that bordered between scolding and worry.

"Can I... talk about it with you?" Sweet gave her the biggest sad eyes she had seen from him since he was just a five yearold.

"Sure." She smiled at him sweetly.

"I was... I knew it was coming. He- he had called me and threatened me. I was really on edge all day and I got in a fight with Booth... I was really upset. I figured Tim knew wh-where I lived so I didn't feel very safe there. I decided to head to Founding Fathers bar for a bit. He yanked me into the alley..." Sweets whimpered and screwed his eyes shut.

"It's okay." Sarah cooed softly, drawing him into a hug. "You got in a fight with Booth the day you were attacked? Is that why you're so hostile to him?"

"It wasn't a fight-fight... it was just a tempered conversation. He is just bothering me." Sweets huffed. "Sarah... Tim, he didn't just attack me this time... He... H-he raped me."

"Oh my God." She gasped, holding him closer to her, tears coming to her own cheeks.

"It was so scary. I was so scaried. The monster from my worst nightmares came back and... It hurt so bad, and I was so... volated." Sweets whimpered through his tears and onto her shoulder.

"I know, Lance, it's okay... you're okay now..." She whispered to him and rocked him slightly.

"I don't know if I can do again... go on the stand. But I have to. Testamony from the victims are key in cases like this, its just like before. My testamony will put him away just like last time, but me getting him put away got me here in the first place! I don't know if I could do it again..." Sweets murmured into her shirt.

"You will, you did it before and you can do it again because you are strong." She held him away from her by his shoulders and looked him in the eye.

"I'm not." He shook his head. "I'm not, I should have done something more to stop him, fought harder or- or-"

"Lance, don't do that to yourself. You know that you did what you could. You're strong, Lance, you made it through the first time, you have two doctrates! You beat him the first time and you can do it again."

"You want me you go back to college?"

"Shut up, you know what I mean." Sarah laughed and Sweets nodded.

"Yeah... yeah I do..." Sweets smiled smally and looked towards the ground.

"And Lance..."

"Yes?"

"Go easy easy on your friend, okay? He only wants to help."

"Okay, I will."

##################################################################################

"Sweets? Dinner is almost ready, you can come and eat with us if your mobilty has improved enough." Brennan smiled at him, looking over the couch at him.

"We'll see." He said automaticly. They did this everyday since he had arrived here. Every single day. Normally he just ate on the couch and listened to Brennan and Booth bicker in that way that they do. He was thinking of actually going to the table today. After Sarah's little visit, he had been thinking. Maybe he should make an effort to be more friendly, they had taken him in so he didn't have to rot in that hospital.

After a minute of thought, Sweets got up onto his tired legs and started to hobble over. Booth and Christine were already at the table and Brennan was aproaching with plates of food. When Sweets sat at the table, Brennan smiled and Booth looked awkward. Christine smiled at him and babbled on, unaware of the tenseness between the two males, who were mostly silent. After Christine finished eating, she was off to bed and the adults were left in an uncomfortable silence. Sweets suddenly felt brave.

"How was work today, Booth?" He asked, tilting his head at Booth. Booth looked stunned a second.

"Fine, Agent Glasper ate the last donut, though."

"Man, he's a jerk, a few weeks ago he ate that pastery I was saving, there was note and everything." Sweets groaned, slurping up a noodle.

"Maybe if he stopped eating all the bake goods he wouldn't be such a fat ass." Booth laughed.

"Maybe!" Sweets laughed, shaking his head in delight.

"Many baked goods are very high in sugars so that might indeed be factual." Brennan said, clinical as usual.

"Yeah, okay, Bones."

"I'm glad to see you two are talking." Bones said suddenly, looking between the two,

"So am I, Bones." Booth grinned at Sweets, who just looked down at the table sheepishly.

"Hey, you've taken me in, the least I can do is talk to you."

"Good piont."

"You ate more then usual today." Brennan smiled at Sweets. "Thats good, you're getting your appiete back."

"I am, Sarah's visit made me feel a little better." Sweets gave Brennan an adorable smile.

"Your welcome!" Booth said, his eyes gloating.

"Shut up!" Sweets laughed, pushing at Booth's shoulder and Booth blew a raspberry at him.

"You both act like children." Bones said scolded, but her tone was one of internal laughter.

"Totally." Sweets laughed with a goofy, child-like grin.

**AUTHORS NOTE:**

** SHORT CHAPTER IS SHORT AND SUCKY AND I'M SORRY.**

** Sooo, readers, should I write a another chapter of two of Sweets physcial recovery or would you prefer I rocket forward to the trail? Hm? What do you say, my duckies? REVIEW! :D**


	12. Chapter 12

"You have to take your medicine, Sweets." Brennan sighed, slumping her shoulders as she tried to get Sweets to take his pain meds.

"No..." Sweets grunted at her through beared teeth as he dug his face into a throw pillow.

"You're in pain, Sweets, you have to take it." She badgered him, bringing the meds up towards his face.

"No."

"You're being stubborn!" She huffed irratably, crossing her arms.

"I don't want the pain meds, they make me cloudly, I don't need that." Sweets gave her a sharp look and gripped the couch harder then he was before.

"You want a clear mind, why?" She sighed, putting the pills aside.

"I'm thinking... about the future. About the trial, Booth, and wether I want to return to work or not... I need my mind clear..." Sweets made a grunt sound and skirmed around a bit.

"We don't want you to leave Sweets, you're our family."

"I know, I understand that... I was actually thinking... maybe I could go back to school. I could go to medical school and become a psychiatrist. You of all people could understand that, I would be a real doctor. With my experience and previous docrates plus I'm a little older now, I could get some serious respect. I would have three docrates, just like you and Hodgins." Sweets looked at her with big eyes. "You understand?"

"Admitedly, that does sound disirable for you. You are very smart and well educated person and in reality, if you became a psychiatrist you could help a great deal of people. You could even be at the front of the field if you wanted to. I don't want you to leave us, but I feel compelled to tell you that even if you make the monumentally bad choice of leaving the FBI... I will still support you." Brennan smiled at him and sat a hand on his shoulder.

"You- you will?" Sweets stuttered, blinking at her in surprise .

"I will, because you're my friend. But I really want you to stay with us, because you are my friend. You and the others taught me how to understand people better. I may not approve of your field of study but I will admit that you have proven quite useful at times."

"Really? You think that?" Sweets gave her a small, slightly pained smile.

"I do." She gave him her own small smile in return.

"I... think I'm ready to take my meds." Sweets took the pills from where she sat them before swallowing them and laying his head back down on the pillow.

"Thank you, Sweets." Brennan grinned, standing up from her squatted position and Sweets made a grunt like sound and pulled the blanket over his head.

################################################################################

"He still asleep?" Booth chuckled as he walked in to see Sweets conked out on couch. "He's normally awake by now."

"I know that, he is resting much better today so please don't disturb him." Brennan said, putting her hands on her hips in her no-nonsense way.

"I won't, how can I? He looks like a sleeping kitten." He laughed, taking off his jacket.

"He hasn't had any night terrors today." She smiled, looking over Sweets carefully. "He did tell me he considering going back to school so he can become a psychiatrist."

"Really? And what did you say?" Booth gave her a warry look.

"I told him that even though I don't want him to leave, I would support him no matter what he did."

"Bones," Booth groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose, "why on earth did you do that? He's probably going leave now you might as well have given him thr go ahead."

"If I can't stop him from leaving, I want to maintain a friendship with him. He was so conflicted the last time that he seperated from us completely. He didn't call or visit. I want to be prepared incase he decides to leave. You should to, instead of fighting with him." Brennan crossed her arms and walked away. "Dinner is amost ready." It was clear that she was done with the conversation. Booth sighed and shook his head.

He didn't want Sweets to leave and he knew Bones was right, but he couldn't take him leaving laying down again. He just wanted to keep his little family unit together, that was all. He had Bone and Christine and the team and Sweets. He couldn't let Sweets leave again but at this piont if Sweets wanted to leave, Booth couldn't stop him. He was sort of in a corner here. He sighed and shook his head before walking off.

###########################################################################

"You could stay a few more days if you want." Booth offered as Sweets tried to walk out the door, only to find that the agent was in his way.

"Booth, I'm healed! I can walk and I'm off my pain meds." Sweets groaned with a roll of the eyes. It was true, many days and several fights over medication later, he was healed. The only things left of the assalt were yellow bruises and nightmare inducing mental images. He was finally ready to leave the nest. Again.

"I know but-"

"No buts, Booth, I'm LEAVING." He sled past Booth with a huff.

"Fine, I'll see you at work, right?" Booth smiled but Sweets didn't smile back. He walked away from Booth and out the door and Booth sighed. He didn't have a good feeling about Sweets leaving the house. At least when Sweets was here he could make sure that Sweets didn't bale on them.

Don't get him wrong, he was happy that Sweets was better but now that he was free he could leave the team. Maybe forever this time. He just had a bad feeling deep in his gut about Sweets leaving. He sighed deeply as he heard Sweets pull out of the driveway and away from the house.

################################################################################

Booth was grueling away at his mountians of paper work when he heard a knock on his door. He looked up and groaned.

"What do you want, Hacker?" He grunted, sitting his pen down in a huff. He was a little on edge. He hadn't talked to Sweets in three days.

"Look, this against the rules, way against the rules, but I just wanted to tell you... about your profiler friend. He has gone on sabbatical... Did some digging, he has a flight today in a hour. I wanted to let you know so that- Agent Booth?" Hacker blinked as Booth got up and rushed swiftly past him and down the hall.

'Damn it, Sweets!' Booth hissed in his mind as ran from the building. Sweets was leaving them and he couldn't even bother telling them! He got into his car in a hurry and screeched away. In retrospect, he should have asked which airport.

Sweets wasn't at the first airport he torn into, he went to next closest one.

And THAT is when he found Sweets.

"SWEETS!" HE hollered, waving an arm at shrink and Sweets froze before turning order, curses under his breath.

"Hacker told you, didn't he?" Sweets gave a the agent a flat look as he walked towards him.

"Yup." Booth said, popping his 'p' when he said it.

"He should get fired." Sweets groaned, rolling his eyes. "I got a flight to catch, so if you would excuse me-"

"I can't let you leave, Sweets." Booth said, his look turning stern.

"Please, Booth, don't make this harder then it has to be." Sweets sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Where are you going, anyway? Where are you going that is so important?" Booth huffed angerly, crossing his arms.

"There's a practice in Calafornia, I'm going to work there, don't worry I'll be back for the trial."

"Calafornia? Thats on the other side of the country! Those people will chew you up and spit you out." Booth gapped at the shrink, who rolled his eyes at the agent.

"I can take care myself." Sweets scowled before sighing. "Look, I... I just need a change of scenery, okay? Somewhere where people don't know who I am... or what happened to me, okay? Thats it. And before you say it, I'm not running away."

"Yes, you are. You are running away, AGAIN." Booth poked Sweets in the chest, straitening himself so he looked taller.

"I'm not having this fight with you, Booth, I'm leaving." Sweets turned around Booth's resolve broke. He reached out and grabed Sweets wrist and pulled him over into a hug. The shrinks eyes went wide, but he didn't pull away.

"You be careful over there, okay?" He murmured as he let go.

"Okay..." Sweets said slowly, his eyes betraying confusion as he turned back around and walked deeper into the airport, eventually Booth lost Sweets in the crowd of people and Sweets was gone.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

** ANDDDD he's outa here! For now. Don't worry, I'll wrangle him back... maybe. BWHAHAHAHA!**

** Seriously, though, I'll fix it. worry not.**

** REVIEW MY DUCKIES :D**


	13. Chapter 13

Sweets walked into his apartment and sat his briefcase down with a sigh. He had been in Calafornia for a good two weeks and it had been... okay. The practice he worked for was based at a seaside city a few miles out from Hollywood. The apartment they had set him up at was nice, it was relatively close to the beach. Yet, for reasons he couldn't place, it just felt... empty. Something was definetly missing from his life. He stuck his hand in his pocket and recrieved his phone from his pocket with a sigh.

He looked down at the innocent object in his hand, the buttons seeming to call his name out. He knew what he was missing.

He missed the team, he really did. He missed Angela's voice and her, sometime unapporiate, jokes. He missed Brennan's rational demeanor and thought process. He missed Hodgin's enthusiam and mad scienctist rants. He even missed Booth and Cam and their dedication to thier work and to the truth.

Before he could stop it he had pushed his speeddial and the phone was up to his ear.

"Sweets?" Dr. Brennan voice asked, cursiousity filling her tone. HE opened his mouth but no words seemed to come forth. "Sweets, is something wrong-" It was then that he hung up the phone and sat it down with a sigh. He had to start dinner.

Meanwhile, in DC:

Brennan stared down her phone tiredly before sitting it aside.

"Who called?" Booth yawned, stretching his arms out as he striatened himself out.

"I think it was Sweets... at least thats what the caller ID said but he didn't even speak. Maybe he's in trouble..." She bit her lip worriedly, glanceing back at her phone.

"He probably just butt dailed you, Bones, just think about it. He hasn't called before and he tried to leave with no one finding out. It's a good thing Hacker told me or we would never know. If he got murdered we whould be the friends who are all like 'I dunno he just took off a few weeks ago.'" Booth crossedd his arms and scowled.

"Booth, I know you're upset with him but you have to consider what makes Sweets happy... And if Calafornia does that for him, then so be it." Brennan said, scooting over to Booth, sitting her head on his shoulder. "Have you called him?"

"Why would I? He left us, Bones, he didn't care about us then and he doesn't care now."

"Don't say that, Booth, he does care. He just needed to get away, I thought you would understand-"

"No- No, Bones! I don't understand how he could leave us after we almost lost him!" Booth shouted, gritting his teeth together and glaring down at the blankets like they had wronged him.

"It's not about us, Booth, it's about Sweets and what he feels." Brennan said, snuggling up to Booth and digging her face into his shoulder. "I don't like seeing you two fighting. You are... best friends. He is like a brother to you and you're upset with him and I don't like it."

"Well... he was one of the less annoying profilers." Booth murmured, his expression softening. "Most of them can be real asshats sometimes. They are good but... they aren't Sweets."

"I miss him..." She whispered into his shoulder, her tone betraying her and revealing her hurt.

"I miss him to, Bones." Booth whispered back as he wrapped her arms around her softly, bring her closer to himself.

"I miss having lunch with him at the Diner and his explianations of things that I don't understand..."

"He helped you understand things on you're terms, Bones, he uses all his fancy terms and big words and that helps you, not matter how much you hate his profession." Booth smiled into her hair.

"I suppose you are right... I did learn a lot from those books he left in our bathroom. Even though psychology is misguided and often wrong, it does has it's own merit... in a way. It's a lot like anthropology but with peoples emotions. Anthropologists watch cultures to better understand them and other cultures and Psychologists watch people to understand their emotions and the emotions of others. We try to understand people, Booth, it's what we do, we go about it differently and I still don't approve of psychology but... I can understand his motives, no matter how misguided they are." She said, wrapping her arms around his neck. "We are both social sciencists, though I do lean more towards the hard science of forcensic antropology, I can understand his reasoning for his proffession... though, he could have made an excellent cultural athropologist."

"Of course he would." Booth chuckled before kissing her forehead.

"So, you're going to call him?"

"Nope."

#################################################################################

He wasn't sure why he did, but he did. he had gotten on a plane and flown into DC and before he knew which way was up, he was in the Jeffersonian. He was in Angela's office, sitting the couch, waiting for her to return. He must of have lost his mind. Sweets didn't really understand why, but he had come here. He had to see them. After a few minutes, Angela entered her office, her regular beautiful smile but then he laid eyes on Sweets and the smile disappeared and she froze.

"Hello, Angela." Sweets gave her a sheepish smile and a small wave.

"Hey, Ange-" Hodgins trotted in, obviously looking to tell his wife stopping before stopping and following her eye line. Right to Sweets. "Sweets? Oh my God, man!" Hodgin's smiled and Sweets stood up, it wasn't long before Sweets was swept up in a hug. "You look great!"

"Thanks, Calafornia has been nice to me." Sweets smiled as Hodgins released him. He felt a hand on his cheek and saw Angela standing by him with tears in her eyes.

"Sweets." Angela rapped her arms around Sweets.

"Hey... It's okay." Sweets cooed, bring her into a hug.

"I- We missed you." She murmured before letting him go. "I have to tell Brennan."

"NO!- I mean, uh, please don't. She will tell Booth and me and Booth are... at odd ends and I don't want to cause problems with them, so please just... don't tell her." Sweets gave her his best pleading eyes he could muster up.

"Sweets, she misses you. Everytime an emotion canudrum comes up she is like 'Sweets would say...' even more then she did before. She told me she misses your lunch time converstion." Angela put a hand on his shoulder.

"What about Booth?"

"He... is more pissed off at you then missing you." Angela admited, glancing to the side.

"Exactly, we aren't telling her. Please. But... I would be up for a meal at the Diner. Airplane food sucks." Sweets gave here a small smile.

"I think we can do that." Hodgins smiled at Sweets, then Angela.

"Definetly." She smiled and off the group went.

############################################################################

"So, how has Calafornia been? What have you been doing?" Angela asked as she got her sandwich.

"The practice I'm at is nice, it's close to the beach so I get to go there sometimes." Sweets smiled, biting into one of his fries.

"That would explain that little tan you got." Hodgins said, pionting at Sweets with one of his own fries.

"Yeah, I got really sunburnt the first week. Sunscreen is my new best friend." Sweets laughed with a shake of the head. "Enough about me, how about you two? How are you doing?"

"Michael Vincent spilled orange juice on the carpet yesterday." Angela said, taking a bite out of her sandwhich. "He has figured the sippy cup lids out so he just screws them off."

"Awh, that sucks."

"Yeah, I'm not sure if the carpet is going to survive." She laughed.

"It'll get better eventually." Sweets smiled, looking down at his burger.

"Are you better?"

"What?"

"Are you better? Are you going to come home?" Angela asked, her eyes piercing his as soon as he looked up.

"Angela..." He hestated. "I like living in Calafornia. The job is nice, it's what I'm meant to do, and no one knows me there. It's perfect. I love you guys but everyone here... knows what happened to me. I don't like being looked at like I'm some sort of victim."

"Oh please, Sweets just dust off your ego and haul ass back home! You're running away, dude, nothing more then that." Hodgins huffed, crossing his arms.

"I'm not talking about this anymore." Sweets said, standing up and avioding all eye contact.

"Running away, again."

"I'm WALKING away." Sweets hissed, walking away and out the Diner door.

"OW!" Hodgins rubbed the back of head where Angela had swatted at him.

"Smooth going, Jack!" Angela huffed, glaring down at her BLT.

"What? What did I do?"

##############################################################################

Today was the day. Today was Tim Handson's trail.

No body had heard from Sweets since Sweets little drop in a month ago. Now they were just hoping that he would show up because with out Sweets testamony their case against Handson was weak. Angela was pacing by the court room door, Hodgins and Booth were both leaned up against the wall, Cam was checking the time every two minutes, and Brennan was tapping her foot at a fast and rather annoying pace. Sweets was cutting it pretty close.

Soon, they saw someone walk down into the hall. Dark curly hair, brown eyes, suit and tie. It was Sweets.

"Sweets!" Angela squealed and hugged Sweets tightly, this didn't surpise him but the hugs that followed from Cam and Brennan did. Hodgins clapped a hand on his shoulder with a 'good to see you, man.' and then... came Booth.

"Agent Booth." Sweets said, looking into Booth's eyes in an attempt to read him.

"Sweets." Booth said, his eyes hard and cold, The two shook hands stiffly. Everything stayed quiet for several minutes. One could cut the awkward with a butter knife.

"We should get into the court." Sweets said, breaking the earth shaking silence.

"Come on, sweetie, lets go." Angela smiled, leading Sweets into the courtroom. Procceeding were to start any minute. Then came the ever graceful Caroline.

"Nice to see you, charie, are you sure you're up to testafying?" She asked, sitting infront of the team in the persicution seat.

"Caroline? Are you even allowed to be on this case?" Sweets quirked a brow at the woman.

"I pulled some strings, though it wasn't that hard, you were a Federal Agent at the time of your assault." She shrugged.

"Booth put you up to this, didn't he?"

"Only the best for his team."

"Right."

The door of the court opened and in walked the Defense. Hanson was lead in by two police officers and his lawer. He was wearing a suit and tie, a nice change from the prison jumpsuit had been in since Sweets reported him. He glared at Sweets as he passed and Sweets glupped. It had begun.


	14. Chapter 14

Sweets glupped and clenched and unclenched his hnds as he waited to be called up. The experts had been called up and ladida and now... it was his turn.

"I call Lance Sweets to the stand." Caroline casting her 'I'm going send your evil ass to death row' look over to Tim, who glared at her then at Sweets, who stood on shaking legs. As he walked up, he could feel all the eyes pasted to his back as well as Tims burning into his forehead, though he was trying to not look at him. His heart was hammering in his chest so hard tht he thought he would burst, or vomit, whichever came first. He was sworen in and then it really started.

"Now, on January twenty-fifth you were assualted and raped, is that correct?" SHe asked in her classic fashion.

"Yes mam'." Sweets mumbled in a soft, meek vioce.

"Could you recall the nights events?"

"Yes mam'," Sweets said, glupping, "I was heading towards the Founding Fathers bar because I was nervious about returning home-"

"Why?"

"What?" Sweets blinked owlishly at her.

"Why were you so nervious? There had to be a reason."

"Uh, well I didn't feel safe there because I had been called that day and threatened." Sweets said vaguely.

"By who?"

"Objection! Relavency!" Tim lawer cried out.

"Miss Julian?"

"My intension will become appartent."

"Fine."

"Dr. Sweets, by whom were you threatened?" She asked again.

"Tim Hanson." Sweets answered.

"So this man threatened you, then attacked you?"

"Yes mam.'"

"And he raped you?"

"Yes. With... with an old pipe." Sweets glupped and looked at his hands. "He pulled into the alley and covered mouth and told me... that he ws going show me what he learned in prison. Then he... he..." Sweets voice cracked and he sounded truely traumatized and nearly pathetic. He could feel Tim's eyes boring into his forehead and the teams concerned eyes tearing at his skin. He felt so exposed.

"Alright, I think you've enough." Caroline said quickly, blinking at the shaky, man. "Your witness."

"Thank you, Miss Julian. Mr. Sweets, what is you're relationship with Tim Handson?" The defense lawer asked, standing up.

"Excuse me?" Sweets blinked at him, bewildered.

"How do you know him?"

"He was my foster father when I was five."

"And why where you not adopted by Mr. Hanson?"

"Because he was put in jail." Sweets sucked in a breath, knowing what was coming.

"And why was he put in jail?"

"Child Abuse. He abused me intill he was caught and my testamony put him in jail."

"The witness has been assaulted by Mr. Hanson before!" The lawer turned to the jury. "Now, couldn't it be possible that the witness has some sort of vendetta against the accused because of their... asorted past? I think so. Now, Mr. Sweets, you aren't living in D.C. anymore?"

"Well, no but-"

"You moved, and got a new job. Now that's great and all but it seems like a strange time. Maybe even a little unstable." The man smirked.

"Unstable!?" Sweets glared at man, gridding his teeth.

"Bouts of anger!" He turned to the jury again. "The witness has a past with the accused and is unstable, can we really believe anything he says? He probably just projected the blame on my client because of thier past."

"Objection!" Julian cried out, standing up.

"On what grounds?"

"Uh... I'll think of something."

"Sit down, Miss Julian." The judge said and she did so. The whole team, who were sitting behind her, were clearly steamed and glaring at the defense lawer that was trying and by the looks of the jury, succeeding at discrediting Sweets.

"Do you have anything else?" The judge asked the defense.

"The defense rests." The lawer said, returning to his seat.

"Alright, the court is ajurned intill the jury comes to a conclusion." The judge said, banging his gavel.

##################################################################

"It's going to be okay, sweetie." Angela said, patting Sweets on the back.

"They are going to set him free." Sweets squeaked in a small vioce, his breathing rapid.

"You don't know that." Brennan said, trying to be helpful.

"That lawer made me look like a unstable nutbag!" Sweets groaned, rubbing his face.

"Only a little." Hodgins joked, earning him a swift elbow to the ribs. "Ow!"

"It'll be fine." Angela said again, patting Sweets back softly.

"No... no, no, no, no,no..." Sweets whimpered, putting his head in his hands .

"You gotta calm down, sweetie." Angela cooed softly.

"The jury is back." Caroline said and the group collectively gulped, standing and walking slowly into the courtroom.

The air was tense as the judge droned on, no one in the team really listening intill one of jury members stood to give the verdict. The room was still but Sweets could feel his heart hammering in his chest so hard that he was sure that others could hear it. Everything seemed to slow for a moment before speeding back to real time as the man cleared his throat.

"We the jury, find Tim Handson not guilty of all charges."

Then everything stopped. The room began to spin and swirl around franticly for Sweets and then suddenly, it was dark.

**Author's note:**

** Sorry it took so long to get this up, my internet sucks eggs and school is kicking my ass... soooo... yeah.**

** But, yknow, REVIEW! :D**


	15. Chapter 15

Sweets woke to the ever familar smell and of cleaning agents and opened his eyes, only to squeeze them back shut when he was greeted with a bright light that stung them. His neck hurt and felt like it was being constricted by something. His head was pounding with his heart beat and he felt as if someone had smacked him in the forhead with a two-by-four. Lance reached up to his neck, eyes still closed, and found there was some sort of brace around it. After a minute, he finally opened his eyes to find that he was in a hospital. Why was he in the hospital? His fuzzy, aching brain searched for an answer, but failed to come up with anything in his confused, blurry mindstate.

"You're awake." He heard Angela's soft vioce sound from the doorway. He looked over and saw her and Dr. Brennan standing by the door.

"Wh-what happened?" Sweets croaked, rubbing one of his eyes.

"You passed out."

"You have a concussion and hairline fractures to some of the vertibrae from when you fell and struck your frontal bone, snapping your head back, when you fell unconsious." Brennan clearified as the two women walked towards him.

"What?" Sweets groaned, squeezing his eyes shut and rubbing one of his temples. Then, it all came back. The trial, his testamony, the verdit. Sweets eyes snapped open and he sat up with a gasp, causing his neck and head to trob more. "I have to get out of here!"

"Sweetie, lay down, you fell pretty hard." Angela pushed Sweets back into bed softly with one hand.

"No, no! I have to get out of town!" Sweets squeaked, trying to get up again as the panic swelled in his chest only for Angela to stop him again.

"You are in no shape to fly back to Calafornia." Angela said, though admittedly she was a little hurt that Sweets was so eager to leave without concidering them but in these circumstances she couldn't really be upset with him.

"You likely won't be cleared to fly for a few weeks." Brennan said. nodding in agreement with Angela.

"N-no! No! I have to, he's out now! He's going to kill me, I just know it!" Sweets wheezed out, grabbing his pounding head with two hands.

"We won't let that happen!" Angela exclaimed, grabbing both of his arms and looking into his eyes. "Calm down." Her voice was soft and sweet, washing over Sweets and beginning to calm him.

"Wh-what am I supposed to do?"

"Nothing, you are resting." Angela smiled softly at Sweets, patting his shoulder. "We will take care of it."

"When are they going to release me?" Sweets asked, taking deep breathes to suppress the terror and panic that was clawing at his throat.

"Not long. You are going to need a place to stay while you are waiting to be cleared to fly." Brennan said before asking the queastion that had been bothering her since she figured out Sweets couldn't fly back to Calafornia. "Would you like to stay with Booth and me or Angela and Hodgins?"

"I think I would rather stay with Angela and Hodgins." Sweets said softly, twiddling his thumbs slightly. Brennan deflated slightly internally before perking up and trying to convice him to stay with them.

"Are you sure? Booth could protect you from Handson much more effectively-" Brennan started, hoping the promise of safety might convince him, only to be interupted.

"I don't want to stay with Booth!" Sweets stated firmly.

"Alright..." Brennan murmured, hurt reflecting in her beautiful orbs.

"I- I'm sorry I yelled..." Sweets mumbled, seeing her hurt. "Things are just... really awkward right now and-"

"We understand." Angela nodded before smiling at Brennan. "Don't worry, Brennan, you can visit him. Christine and Michael Vincent can have a play date with their Uncle Sweets."

"Sounds wonderful, I can bring him some healthy vegetarian meals." Brennan smiled.

"Thanks." Sweets smiled back.

"Hey, look who we brought!" Hodgins announced as he marched in, Booth behind him, leading in our two favorite tots.

"Uncle Sweets!" Michael Vincent giggled, running up to the hospital bed. "We hasn't seen you in forevers!"

"Hi, Uncle S'eets." Christine smiled as her father lowered her onto the hospital bed.

"Hello, Christine." Sweets smiled, putting an arm around the child. "Hey, Michael, you need some help?" He asked as he saaw the small child struggle to try to get into his bed.

"Nooooo..." He whined, trying to scramble into the bed.

"Up you go!" Hodgins laughed, lifting his stubborn child into the bed.

"Noooo!" Michael Vincent squirmed as he was picked up and pouted and crossed his arms as he was sat on the bed.

"It's okay." Sweets laughed, patting his head.

"How are you feeling?" Booth asked.

"Scaried out of mind with a headache." Sweets drawled sarcasticly.

"Good to know." Booth snapped back, equally sarcastic.

"Boys, behave." Angela warned and Booth crossed his arms stubbornly.

"Are you scared that the bad man is gonna come back?" Michael Vincent asked Sweets with large, innocent eyes.

"Michael." Angela hissed.

"No, it's okay." Sweets held up a hand to Angela before looking to Michael. "Yes, Michael, I am. This man wants to hurt me really bad. He wants to make me go away forever."

"You don't haves to be afraids. Uncle Booth will protects you!"

"I know..." Sweets sighed, patting his head. "I hope so."

"Are you gonna go away again?" Michael Vincent asked, snuggling close to Sweets.

"I think so, buddy."

"Please don't. Mommy misses you, so does Aunty B, I think Daddy and Uncle Booth do to. Mommy says they is em-emmm-emmmoooo-emotionallyly stunteded." Michael Vincent said, struggling with his words.

"I think that's enough, sweetheart." Angela chuckled sheepishly, picking up her curious child.

"But I have more questions!"

"Shush."

"Excuse me?" A new vioce sounded from the doorway and everyone looked to see Sweets' doctor standing there. "Um, well, hello. Glad to see Dr. Sweets awake."

"His vocal and motor skills are functioning properly." Brennan said in her very... Brennan way.

"That's good to hear." The doctor said, walking over and checking Sweets' vitals.

"Hey, Doc, when can I get out of here?" Sweets asked, sounding more aggitated then he intended.

"Well you took quiete the trip, Dr. Sweets, you have a mild concussion, but I would like to keep you for observation to make sure you don't develop a spontainous brain bledd."

"Right." Sweets groaned with a sigh of aggitation.

"It'll fly by." The doctor smiled. "Well you look good for now, I'll be back to check on you later."

"Bye." Sweets sighed as the doctor walked off.

"Don't worry, man, the time will fly and you'll have one of us with you at all times. Visiting houses be damned." Hodgins said and Sweets chuckled at his last statement.

"I guess so." Sweets said, a small smile gracing his lips.

"Well, we should really be getting the kids home." Booth sighed. "You guys go on, I'll watch Sweets."

The others looked skeptical and Sweets frowned. Looks were exchanged between Brennan, Hodgins, and Angela while Booth stared down at Sweets, who refused to make eyecontact with anyone. Eventually, after a minute of silent conversation, the others agreed and left, taking the kids with them.

To say that the atmosphere of the room was tense would be a grievious mistake. It was tense, akwkard and the silence was so painful that Sweets wished he was still unconsious. After several minutes of mind numbing silence Sweets closed heis eyes and feigned sleep.

Booth sighed, sitting in the chair next to the bed and tipping his head back. He wants to help Sweets, to make up with him, but the trail going well was going to be his opening. Since the trail had gone poorly, Booth wasn't sure what to do. Things were as tense as ever and that sicko Handson was free. He wants to help keep Sweets safe, but how do you help someone who doesn't want your help?

Booth grabbed Sweets hand and sighed, shaking his head. Sweets tried, and thankfully succeeded, to not tense up at the touch.

"You stubborn, hard-headed, passive agressive jerk, why won't you let us help you? Why won't you let ME help you?" Booth grunted at Sweets' still form. Sweets heard no malice in his tone, only concern. "Why do you have to push us away? All we want is to help you, and all you want to do is run away from us. Is that any way to treat your team? Your... Family? You worried Bones and Angela sick with this bull. You have to cut it out. We love you, man, you gotta know that. We may have rolled with it when you had that whole Pelant guilt trip, but this is ridiculious and you know it. We need you back here, the other profilers suck and they are snobby assholes."

Sweets almost laughed at that last comment, but he restrianed himself. He tried to let Booth's words soak and mix into his aching, pounding head. THey were confusing, yet soothing.

_'We love you, man, you gotta know that.'_

Those words echoed and bounced around in his head, making his head pound but his heart soar. They loved him? Like... Family? He had always liked to think that, but they did to? No one had ever wanted him before the Finnleys rolled into his life and changed him forever. Yet, did the team want him? It had been a question that constantly betwixed him. He knew they were all close now, but it wasn't always that way. He could understand why they didn't like him at first, they thought he was annoying. Lots of people did. Then there was the Gormagon fall out and they hated him more.

Sometimes he wondered how Zach was doing. Zach and him had agreed to assign him a new shrink when the weight of knowing of Zach's innocence started making thing awkward for Sweets.

The real question for Sweets now was, when did that change? Was it Heather Taffet's death? The Brodski case? His stay at Booth and Brennan's house? Was it a certian event, or several events, or just something that happened over time as the team got closer? He wasn't sure.

Slowly but surely, Sweets eventually fell back into sleep.

_In Sweets' Dream:_

_ It was dark all around him. The kind of dark that madeone question wether or not it had an end. There was a silent ringing through the darkness, a mind numbing silence that seemed to fill the space and smother him. Sweets shivered as a chill ran upand down his spine. Despite the fact the room seemed empty, he felt a haunting presence around him that seemed to chill his to the bones._

_ Suddenly, he felt a pressure around him like he was being squeezed and the air was knocked from his lungs. He felt himself being lifted before being faced with his attacker. It was Tim Handson. The man was clenching him in his hand, grinning him evily._

_ "Hello, __**LANCE.**__" The man hissed, squeezing Sweets and cracking his bones._

_ "L- Leeeee- L-" Sweets wheezed out, his lips turning blue with lack of oxygen. He could feel the scars on his back burning in the prense of their maker. _

_ "I'm going to get you, Lance, and this time nothing will stop me. I will __**kill**__ you." Handson growled, a forked tongue flicking from his lips. Suddenly, Handson turned into a snaked, a gaint snake. Sweets gasped for air, but the relief was short because no sooner as he had gasped the snake had swallowed him whole and everything was dark again. _

_ Suddenly, The team was before him, glaring at him harshly. He heard their vioces ringing through the air, insulting him, but their mouthes never moved. Then, he was staring down the barrel of a gun, he followed the gun up to his agressor. It was Booth, his eyes deviod of warmth. These eyes were the eyes of a military sniper, zoning in on his next kill. _

_ Click._

_**BANG!**_

Sweets woke with a gasp, sweat poring from his forehead and soaking his hair and and agitating his neck brace. He could feel a hand on his shoulder and a someone was clearly speaking to him, but in his bleary and half awake mind, he couldn't make anything out. After a few minutes, he realized that it was Booth that was trying to calm him down. Sweets drew him into a hug, and for once Booth didn't pull away.

Little did either of them know, there was evil lurking just around the corner. Plotting revenge, as well as his next move. He would get him eventually, he was sure of it and he would make sure the little snot wouldn't rat out on him again.

Tim Handson was going to kill Lance Sweets, no matter how long it took.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

** TADA! UPDATE :D**

** Sorry the end was so rushed, it was supposed to be much longer and detialed but I didn't want to keep you all waiting any longer. **

** Sorry about the wait, I have been busy and the lack of reviews has made me very unmotivated. Also, shout out to Wesley1501, who has been a very loyal reviewer. :3**

** Review, my duckies! They make me smile!**


	16. Chapter 16

Sweets smiled as he tickled little Christine and Michael Vincent. They were giggling wildly, squirming and squealing at him for him to stop. They were having a nice little playdate at Booth and Brennan's house. After his little... episode at the hospital after his nightmare he and Booth... made up. Sort of. They were at least on speaking terms now, which was better then what they were but they still weren't quite what they were before all this happened. He had decided to stay with Booth and Brennan after that. He really needed to have a talk with Booth but he hadn't yet. He was frustrated with the doctor for not clearing him to fly yet but he was also happy. He didn't want to leave, but he wasn't safe, not with Tim out and about. He HAD to leave... at least intill he was positive Tim was gone from the area.

"Hey there, Sweets!" Booth said, walking in as he returned for work. "How you feeling today?"

"Neck still hurts. This thing is itchy." Sweets said, bringing little Christine into his arms before lifting her up to his father.

"Hello, baby girl, how is Sweets doing today?" Booth asked his little girl, taking her into his arms.

"He didnit takes his pain pills when Mommy gave them to 'im. He only pretendeded." Christine said, hugging her father.

"Hey! You promised you wouldn't tell!" Sweets glared up at the tiny child.

"Sowwy."

"Sweets... You have to take your meds." Booth groaned, giving his friend a flat look.

"I'm fine, I'm not even in any pain." That was a lie.

"Really?"

"Yeah, my head and neck feel fine." They both hurt like hell.

"Your still a bad lair, Sweets."

"I know."

"You are going to take them the next time Bones gives them to you." Booth said, sitting his child on the ground and letting her tottle over to Sweets.

"If you say so." Sweets said, sucking his teeth.

"I do. I do say so."

"Okay."

"You better listen to Uncle Booth. He has a gun." Michael Vincent said and Sweets and Booth chuckled.

"I'll take that into concideration, thank you." Sweets smiled, poking his belly and making the child giggle.

"I'll leave you all to it." Booth said, walking off to find Bones.

Sweets smiled and shook his head as he picked up a toy car and started to roll it across Christines arm, making vroom vroom nioses. Then, suddenly he had a weird feeling, like he was being watched. It wouldn't be the first time, he knew it could be his instincts or his paranoia about Tim, so he always brushed it off. He hadn't told anyone about it, and he knew that was bad but he didn't want to worry them. He had worried them enough already. He shook his head and went back to playing with the children, pushing his feeling of being watched aside.

What Sweets didn't know was if he had turned towards the window, he would have seen a face peeking at him through the window before disappearing.

#################################################################################

"Hey... Booth." Sweets murmured at the man sitting next to him on the couch. Today it was Booth's turn to babysit him. The kids were at daycare. There would be nothing to interupt him.

"Yeah, kid?" He asked glancing at him briefly before looking back the the kungfu movie they were watching.

"I... want to talk." Sweets murmured, looking down towards the ground. Booth's head snapped up and he looked at Sweets with wide eyes.

"A... About what?" He asked, softening his vioce as much as he could. He had been very patient, waiting for Sweets to talk to him. He could tell things were bothering the shrink, and even though he didn't like to talk he knew that Sweets needed to. It was like the whole Pelant guilt trip. Granted, Sweets never did talk out that. After all was said and done, Sweets had returned to them and was back to his shrinky self but he never didn't talk about his little guilt trip, even after Pelant had died.

"Just... about stuff." Sweets said, glancing back up at him.

"Okay... we can talk about stuff."

"Look, Booth, I just... I want you to understand... that when I get better, I'm going to leave again. I don't want to hurt you... I don't even want to go, really, but with Tim out it's not safe for me here, in D.C." Sweets said, looking up at Booth to gauge his reaction.

"I can keep you safe." Booth said, sitting upright.

"I know you can, Booth, I don't doubt that. I don't WANT you to have to." Sweets said, looking at him with peircing eyes. "You have other priorities. You have a family to look after and a job to do and I don't want or expect you to sit either of those aside for my sake."

"Sweets, I don't care. I want to protect you. The kids love having you around and... Sweets, if you leave again it'll break Angela and Bones' hearts all over again, please don't do this to us again."

"Booth, I'm sorry, but... I HAVE to. I don't know what else to do." Sweets sucked in a breath to aviod crying.

"You stay, you let us protect you. We are your FAMILY, Sweets, we want to help you."

"That's another thing I've been wondering about... When did that happen...? I know we are close but... when did it happen? You all hated me-"

"We didn't hate you. We thought you were annoying and Bones didn't agree with your profession but we never-"

"Booth, lets... lets get real here, please." Sweets gave Booth a look, tears sparkling in his eyes. "You hated me."

"Only a little..." Booth said, looking away from Sweets.

"It's not something you have to be sorry about. I was annoying, I meddled in your business and I was an outsider." Sweets said, sitting a hand on Booth's shoulder. "My question is... when did it change?"

"Well... for me it was when I found out about the scars on your back and... your parents." Booth said, not bothering to shrug off his hand. "But for the most part... I think it was just something that happened over time. You helped us a lot... wether or not we want to admit that or not. I mean... if it were for you, it would have taken me months to propose to Hannah and breakup with her if I hadn't gone drinking with you that night three years ago. I never would have slept with Bones and gotten her pregnant. I wouldn't have... what I have. Angela... she wouldn't have had that celibacy kick if you hadn't told her to, and thats what led her to that thing she had with Wendell, which led her to the pregnancy scare that got her and Hodgins back together. It's really obsure but... you helped us get were we are, in a weird way. How can we not love someone who has helped us that much?"

"I guess you have a piont..." Sweets said, a smile starting to dancing on his lips.

"And I know that Bones is all 'I hate psychology' but help her to. You can put things on her terms with all your big words and mumbo jumbo. It helps." Booth smiled back.

"I can't help but notice that most of the time that I would give you all advice, you'd always dismiss it then do it anyway." Sweets chuckled, shaking his head.

"We are a stubborn people."

"Yeah..."

"Look, Sweets... I'm not trying to push you but... you can't leave us again, please. We need you here, you are one of us."

"I... I'll think about it." Sweets said, looking away from him.

"Thats all I ask."

And he did. He thought about it and thought about, but all it ever led to was a headache. Eventually, He convinced Booth to leave him home alone for a day. It was a mistake, as he soon found out.

###############################################################################

Handson smirked evily as he saw both the Bone Lady and the FBI Guy leave the house. Now was his chance. He had been watching and waiting for two weeks, which wasn't as hard as he thought it would be. Finding the hospital he was at wasn't difficult, he just found the one with a big ass SUV parked out front. Unfortunately, those friends never left him alone. He had been hiding in the shadows, watching, waiting for a day like this. Today was HIS day.

After the two musketteers were gone, he tiptoed over to the front door and started to pick the lock. He was sure that his Lance could hear him. Good, let him hear. Get scaried. He eventually got the door open, swinging open to see Lance by the stairs. The little snot looked at him with wide eyes before dashing up the stairs. The chase was on.

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

** Short, sucky chapter. Sorry. I'm just not in a great mood right now and I just want to get this story over with and done.**

** In all honesty, I'm not sure how I'm going to finish my Sweets childhood story, concidering how long its supposed to be. I might put it on a permanant haitus. As for fics I had planned... I don't know anymore. I am thinking of writing a oneshot about what happened with Sweets and Brennan and Christine between season 9 and 10 and about him finding out about Daisy but... I'm not sure if I can muster up the strength to do it. **

** As for my opion in this whole Sweets dying thing... it crushes me, it really does. But... I can understand why. Just hear me out, okay? If they put Sweets in a coma for the period of time his actor was gone and we never saw the team visit or talk about him, would you be happy? Or if he ws relocated and was heard or seen from? Its not realistic and even though we don't want to admit it, we would feel cheated and it's not fair to such a great character. And if they just sent him away somewhere forever without him being dead, it would a Zach situation all over again and no one wants that! So... I can understand. And as for the baby thing... The best way to think of it is that is something that will remind them of Sweets forever, he will be a little peice of Sweets. Also, a way to look at it is that... Sweets died happy, in a way, he finally had everything he wanted. He was having a baby, was living with a woman he loved and he had a job he loved. Granted, that somehow makes it sadder, really. **

** I know I'm watching next week, for my sanity. But after that... I'm not sure. Not because I hate the show or its writers, but because I'm not sure I can handle the hole he will leave in the show. But I love the other characters to, and I don't want to abandon them because of this. Plus, the baby is supposed to born in like episode eight and I wanna see the little one. I hope they name him Lance.**

** Okay, you can throw the rocks now. *Braces for impact***


End file.
